We hear it all the time. Young people don’t want to work. They just look at their phones all day. They don’t want to get dirty. But is that the full story? This week, host Brock Yordy talks with Michael Boven, director of operations and maintenance at Bioenergy Devco, a Maryland based company that turns food waste into fuel. 

Recruiting young people to fill water and waterwater jobs, from operators to scientists, demands making a pitch they understand, Boven says. 

“To get people involved in this business anymore, [we argue] it’s a ‘green’ technology,” Boven says. “… We’re reusing stuff that’s being used. We’re putting it back into the environment clean. We’re protecting people’s health. That’s a good way to get people involved, is the positive benefits of it as well.” 

This episode covers: 

• Hiring in groundwater, wastewater and other critical infrastructure systems 
• The increasingly high-tech skills needs for “trades” jobs 
• Recruiting young people for water infrastructure work 
• Transferring knowledge, skills and wisdom across generations 
• Working as a Millennial in drilling and construction
• Advice for young people getting started in groundwater and wastewater professions

Thanks for joining us. Whether you’re at your desk or on the way to the jobsite listening in the truck, start your week with us.

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Thanks for joining us. Tune in each Monday morning for the latest video or podcast. Whether you’re at your desk or on the way to the jobsite listening in the truck, start your week with us. You can also find our show on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Drilling expert Brock Yordy is a regular The Driller contributing writer. Send news tips and interview suggestions to questions@askbrock.com.