Community Engagement

February offers two unique ways that you can engage with your local community to share the vital role water professionals play in society. While you may not be able to bring groups for tours or attend community events you can still engage stakeholders via social media to help them learn about the work water professionals are doing every day.

Since we know it’s a busy time for everyone the Community Engagement Committee has suggestions for quick ways for you to virtually engage with your stakeholders during Career and Technical Education Month® (CTE Month) and National Engineers Week (EWeek). We hope these ideas get your team’s creativity flowing to prepare for larger programs in 2022.

If you post on social media don’t forget to tag @CS_AWWA on Twitter

If you host a virtual event and want to share it in an upcoming edition of the Chesapeake Magazine contact Teresa DiGenova.


Career and Technical Education Month® (CTE Month) - entire month of February

https://www.acteonline.org/why-cte/cte-awareness/cte-month

CTE Month is a public awareness campaign to celebrate the value of career technical education and highlight the role these programs play in preparing students for high-demand, high-pay careers. Since many school districts have skilled trades CTE programs this is a great time to reach students who are close to graduation and may be looking for jobs right out of high school. 

CTE focus areas related to the water sector include skilled trades, engineering, natural resources, information technology, financial services, logistics and distribution.  You can read more about these programs here. https://www.acteonline.org/why-cte/what-is-cte/basic-facts/sector-sheets/

Suggestions for public engagement:

  • On social media highlight various career opportunities at your organization or agency and the education required to start in that career.  Focus on opportunities for career advancement, training programs offered by your agency and show real people who have these jobs. Even better if you can get video of them on the job or if they’re a recent graduate of a CTE program. Click here for more resources on how to engage with the CTE community on social media.  https://www.acteonline.org/working-with-policymakers/social-media-advocacy/


  • Research local CTE programs in the school district where you work or live and contact the program leaders to see if they would be interested in setting up a virtual career day. Even if you can’t schedule it for this school year they’ll have your contact information and you can plan for next year. Don’t forget to also reach out to technical and community colleges to see if you can speak with their students.

  • Write a piece for LinkedIn highlighting the need for students with the skills provided by CTE programs and career opportunities in the water sector. Use the EPA’s Water Workforce Initiative to guide you. https://www.epa.gov/sustainable-water-infrastructure/americas-water-sector-workforce-initiative

  • Host a virtual career panel or twitter chat and invite students in CTE programs, guidance counselors and parents to hear from your employees and learn why they should come work for your agency.

 

National Engineers Week – (EWeek) February 21-27  


​http://www.discovere.org/our-programs/engineers-week

EWeek is a time to celebrate the important work of engineers and engage the next generation of innovators. This year’s theme is Imagine Tomorrow.

Suggestions for public engagement:

  • Share a celebratory photo that highlights engineering projects you’ve worked on or how your agency or organization is “Imagining Tomorrow”.


  • Showcase engineers from various disciplines. Explain their skillset and how the water sector depends on engineers from a variety of engineering backgrounds.


  • Highlight women engineers in the water sector for Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day on February 25


  • Share fun engineering content and activities for families and educators to engage with during the week.


Here are some of our favorites



When you tweet, be sure to tag #Eweek2021, @DiscoverEorg

If you host a virtual event and want to share it in an upcoming edition of the Chesapeake Magazine contact Teresa DiGenova, Editor