A Regional Initiative Strives for a Utility Workforce That Looks More Like Its Communities

An online job fair launches an effort by Milwaukee utilities to raise awareness of water careers and help them build diverse and representative work forces.

Sep 15, 2021 | by Sandra Buettner |

Tpo10 Building The Team Mmsd1 — Milwaukee Water Works (MWW), Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) and Veolia Water Milwaukee collaborated on the online job fair. Key players included, from left, Andi Kneeland, communications and community relations manager with Veolia; Aaron Saeugling, water systems and projects manager with the water works; Lisa Sasso, MMSD senior project planner; Jeff Spence, MMSD director of community outreach and business engagement; and Kamisha Harris, water marketing specialist with the water works.

The Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District and Milwaukee Water Works were challenged to create more awareness of water jobs available to area residents. The answer: A virtual jobs fair. Milwaukee was part of a seven-city cohort chosen by the U. S. Water Alliance under its Water Equity Taskforce effort to create a more equitable workforce, with a demographic makeup representing the communities served. Because of its location on Lake Michigan and its long history in the water industry, Milwaukee has been working to become a water-centric city. MMSD treats up to 650 mgd for 28 municipalities and serves 1.1 million people through its

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