SCWA Civil Engineer Jason White shows student’s technical specifications
The Suffolk County Water Authority (SCWA) and Amityville Union Free School District created a unique partnership to encourage students to consider a career in the drinking water industry. SCWA employees held a multi-day seminar with approximately 60 students from the district to introduce them to the diverse set of career offerings available as a water service professional. Students made numerous stops across the local SCWA service territory, enabling them to get a firsthand view of the many different ways in which SCWA employees work hard to serve high-quality water every day.
“Connecting with our youth is an important part of our public outreach,” said SCWA Chairman Charles Lefkowitz. “These students represent the future of Suffolk County and the health of our aquifer depends on our ability to educate them on what makes the SCWA’s job so important. Given the enthusiasm shown by these students, we are confident that the future of Suffolk County’s water is in good hands.”
The first stop of the day was at a well field in Amityville where students got to see everything that goes into pumping, treating and distributing water to thousands of residents every single day. They then arrived at the SCWA’s Education Center, where they were given a presentation and spoken to by professionals from SCWA departments, showing them the wide variety of career opportunities, both for those with and without a college degree, offered by the Authority. A tour and demonstration in the water meter warehouse and repair shop gave students a hands-on demonstration of one of the many career opportunities available. Finally, students took a tour of SCWA’s state-of-the-art laboratory, getting a firsthand look at the complex process and testing that water samples undergo to ensure that water quality is up to standard.
“We do everything we can to make sure our students are ready to enter the world after graduation and inspiring them to look at different career paths is an important part of doing so,” said Dr. Gina Talbert, Superintendent of Schools. “Our students are sure to have come away with an appreciation of the fine work the SCWA does for all of us and we look forward to seeing how it affects their educational and professional growth. We appreciate the SCWA’s willingness to spend time with our students and showing them just how many careers are available in such an important field.”
About SCWA:
The Suffolk County Water Authority is an independent public-benefit corporation operating under the authority of the Public Authorities Law of the State of New York. Serving approximately 1.2 million Suffolk County residents, the Authority operates without taxing power on a not-for-profit basis.