Emerging Leaders Program: Texas Rural Water Association
When I was onboarded in 2017, I was tasked with serving on the Emerging Leaders Program staff committee. Within a few short months, I was the driving force behind the professional development and networking program for up-and-coming leaders in the Texas rural water industry.
On the administrative side, I managed the application and coach-pairing process, prepared program resources (readings, assignments, assessments and projects) and the learning intranet. I thoughtfully selected curriculum and completely transformed the grading and submission process to roll-out a gradebook tool that allowed participants to check their progress in real time. I planned and hosted an orientation event packed with relevant and compelling sessions, and supported participants through their development and local project implementation.
It was a honor to grow this program — its value to industry is undeniable, but it was especially meaningful to me. There’s something profound about working professionals (often when busy lives and families of their own) to asses and foster their development to better support their utility system, and thus their communities. This program effectively squashed one woman’s fear of public speaker and enabled a young general manager to realize the value of authentic community engagement — seeing the confidence of the participants skyrocket was such a special thing to be a part of, and I’m proud of my efforts to improve and promote the ELP.
The water and wastewater utilities of Texas are hiring, and job growth is expected to continue. Between continued population growth and aging workforce, the need for new workers in the water and wastewater industry is greater than ever. Coupled with this projected loss of the industry’s workforce is the projected increase of demand in these careers.
The overview below was prepared and constructed to serve as a landing page for the program. A digital toolkit was prepared for program participants, coaches and their respective utility systems. This toolkit included press relate templates, one-pagers, photos and social media graphics.
Plants will also need more operators to ensure compliance with increased environmental and safety regulations. New regulations often require that plants install new systems or features that need operators to control. Although some work can be automated, plants will need skilled workers to operate increasingly complex controls and water and wastewater systems.
Featured TRWA Board Members and ELP Coaches In Speaking Order:
Brian Macmanus, TRWA Board President: East Rio Hondo WSC General Manager
Shirley Thompson, District 12 Director: College Mound SUD General Manager
Bruce Alexander, TRWA Board Secretary: East Medina SUD Superintendent
Featured TRWA Board Members and ELP Coaches In Speaking Order:
Mark Rogers, Elderville WSC General Manager
Felix Ruiz, East Medina County SUD Foreman
Shelly Ragland, Bitter Creek WSC South General Manager
Amber Durham, Jackson WSC General Manager
Through one-on-one meetings with coaches, forum discussions with peers, individual local projects and online training elements, ELP participants gain insight on focus areas such as leadership, management, advocacy, fundraising and promotion.
Not only does the program facilitate development within the participants – all involved learn throughout the nine-month program. The program is obviously designed for the participants, but peers, employers and coaches become more engaged professionals through the participant's involvement. Through local projects, participants tackle areas for improvement outlined in their individual development plans while also supporting the following initiatives:
As industry demands increase and the current workforce begins to retire, it is important to continue bolstering young leaders. Rural water systems are constantly faced with challenges, and by harnessing the attention and talents of the next generation of professionals, Texas Rural Water Association is making efforts to combat the eminent yet solvable situation.
