Workforce Development Efforts Create a Skilled Workforce in Jackson, Mississippi

As the water utility operations and maintenance (O&M) industry continues to face a shortage of qualified staff to operate critical infrastructure, Jacobs is developing the talent needed to provide the City of Jackson, Mississippi, with safe drinking water — now and in the future.

“Safe drinking water is essential for public health, but many are unaware of careers available within the operations industry, let alone the water industry,” says Executive Director of Operations Kevin Dahl. “We want the local community to understand what we do at the plant, opportunities available to join our team and the career agility offered in this industry.” 

Jacobs is working with Hinds Community College and Jackson State University as part of a workforce development initiative. The purpose of the initiative is twofold—educate the community about the critical role of water utility operations and train the next generation of workers. 

At Hinds Community College, the team connected with students majoring in chemistry, biology and electro-mechanical technology through various educational efforts:

• Jacobs subject matter experts taught a Water and Maintenance 101 course
• Student were engaged at on-campus career fairs
• Jacobs donated to the JXN Water Scholarship Fund benefiting Hinds Community College students
• Students were invited to tour the treatment plant 

“It is one thing to talk about the process and another to see it. The tours gave students a new appreciation for the process and the people behind this critical resource,” notes Project Manager Amy McLeod.

At Jackson State University, Jacobs created an endowment for engineering student scholarships and hosted Jacobs Engagement Day with the university’s Engineering Department. The event featured meet-and-greets with Jacobs professionals, presentations on our services in Jackson and tips for career acceleration. 

As a result of these engagements, Jacobs hired six interns to support multiple disciplines on site, including operations, maintenance and engineering. Interns shadowed staff and completed hands-on training under direct supervision. Three interns have since graduated and joined Jacobs as full-time staff. 

Kevin adds, “The program helped us fill O&M vacancies, introduce Jacobs to the community we’re serving and opened the door for local youth to explore careers in water and wastewater. This program has proven successful and is a model for other projects in our O&M portfolio.”

The team continues to evolve the program to meet the plant’s long-term needs. In the year ahead, the team will better integrate into local high schools and expand relationships to increase community impact.

A mutually beneficial partnership

Through the partnership with Hinds Community College, Jacobs staff also gain access to free customized classes. “We send our entry-level mechanics to a custom course at the college to increase their knowledge and help them succeed — not only in their current role but also their career,” says Amy. 

Jacobs operates and maintains the Jackson water treatment system and other water and wastewater utilities nationwide.