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.