We quickly learned that this was not a typical career fair audience. Many students already had a career path in mind, while others were still exploring their options. Our goal was to make the presentation engaging, hands-on, and fun while introducing students to career opportunities they may not have considered.
We began by introducing Community Water, the customers we serve, and the work our team does every day to keep the water system operating safely and reliably. Then we moved from talking about the job to showing students what it actually looks like.
Students watched a video of one of our fire hydrants fully open, flowing approximately 1,000 gallons of water per minute. We also shared videos demonstrating an angle-stop replacement and the process of replacing a fire hydrant. These real-world examples gave students a better sense of the physical, technical, and hands-on work our service technicians perform in the field.
To keep everyone involved, we followed the videos with questions and handed out goose keychains for correct answers. One question asked students to think about something as simple as a dripping faucet: If a faucet drips continuously for an entire month, how much water can it waste?
We also talked about one of the questions students naturally have when considering a career: How much can a service technician earn? While compensation varies by employer, experience, and career path, we shared a realistic average to show that the water industry can provide a stable and rewarding career.
By the end of the presentation, students were actively participating. Some took notes, while others drew illustrations based on what they had learned. Their interest was a good reminder that career fairs can do more than introduce students to familiar professions. They can open the door to careers students may never have considered.
Water systems depend on skilled people to operate, maintain, repair, and improve critical infrastructure every day. Events like this give Community Water an opportunity to show students how important that work is and, perhaps, inspire the next generation of water professionals.
We appreciate Walden Grove High School for inviting Community Water to participate and for giving us the opportunity to share our work with students in our community.
