BAYWORK
BAYWORK is a collaboration of 28 water and wastewater agencies in the San Francisco Bay Area. It was founded in June 2009 to address workforce development and reliability challenges in the Bay Area with a regional approach, and now works on research, workforce development programming, and recruitment for positions. Born out of the findings from the West Coast Water Utilities Workshop on workforce development (co-sponsored by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission and the Santa Clara Valley Water District) and a Water Research Foundation project on potential benefits of regional collaboration, BAYWORK is open to all Bay Area water and wastewater utilities. Many have contributed to its research, workshops, and product development activities.
BAYWORK’s charter sought the creation of a unified voice for Bay Area water and wastewater utilities in workforce development plans that affect the region. The organization provides multi-level support in recruiting, training, and skills development to build and maintain a strong workforce. BAYWORK has conducted research with the California Community Colleges on current and future labor needs in mission critical job categories to inform the development and implementation of effective programs. The organization also serves as a collective resource for job seekers to find training and employment opportunities in the region. While the opportunity is significant, utilities must also be realistic in conveying the jobs available to the public, thus setting reasonable expectations with the community and prospective workers.
Communities of Color
Limited English Proficiency
Lower-income Communities
Urban
Capacity Building/Education
Funding and Finance
Research and Technical Assistance