AWWA JAW70538

The water industry is increasingly aware of the need to draw new talent into mission-critical jobs, especially as Baby Boomers retire. At the same time, public expectations regarding water quality, environmental stewardship, and security continue to escalate. It is critical that utilities use Web 2.0, the new generation of information technology, to promote workforce development and to recruit today's and tomorrow's job candidates. This article presents specific examples of how water agencies and organizations are using new tools and technologies on their websites and social media networks (e.g., Facebook and Twitter) to describe available jobs, their benefits, and the education and skills necessary to obtain them; to market themselves as desirable employers and proactively reach out to potentially desirable candidates; and, to perform quality control and get feedback on their recruitment and selection processes. The authors also encourage collaboration at the regional and national levels to facilitate these efforts. Includes 16 references.