AWWA JTMGT64462

The utility industry is on the verge of the greatest workforce shift it has ever seen. As the Baby Boomer generation reaches retirement age, there will be a mass exodus of valuable utility employees in the next 10-15 years. This phenomenon is not unique to our industry but it is going to strike the public sector particularly hard because of the culture of public service business. Some utilities will lose 30-50 percent of their workforce. More than 60 percent of utilities anticipate a shortage of operators, maintainers, engineers, and scientists in the near future. Exacerbated by recent "rightsizing" efforts at many utilities, the impact of retirements and utility reorganization will cascade throughout the industry. Baby Boomers make up 29 percent of the American population. The next generation, the so-called Gen Xers, comprise just 16 percent. A quick glance around the typical utility makes it obvious that there are not many young people on the payroll. What happens when utilities must compete with every other industry for the next generation of talent? This creates some obvious challenges for the water utility industry. This paper examines what the Alexandria Sanitation Authority is doing in its efforts to become the employer of choice. We'll explore a process to encourage your organization to grow so that it is more attractive to the next generation.