en.Wedoany.com Reported - To address the growing labor shortage in the U.S. water industry, Veolia and the National Youth Employment Coalition (NYEC) announced the launch of a nationwide partnership aimed at expanding recruitment pipelines, strengthening training partnerships, and raising awareness among youth about in-demand careers in water and wastewater through a multi-city strategy. This initiative responds to the urgent need for skilled professionals in the U.S. water system due to population growth and environmental changes.
Karine Rouge, Executive Vice President of Strategic Transformation for Veolia North America, stated: "Veolia is committed long-term to engaging talented professionals early in their career exploration. By partnering with NYEC, we can optimize our workforce development initiatives and expand our reach among young people." This partnership will remove barriers for youth to access stable careers and extend services to underserved youth populations, who are often disconnected from school and the workplace but are at a prime age for earning credentials.
As retirements accelerate in the water industry, employers nationwide face staffing shortages that threaten the reliability of essential services. With its network of over 200 affiliated workforce organizations and deep understanding of youth development, NYEC is a key partner for Veolia in cultivating the next generation of water professionals. The two have already collaborated on Youth Advocacy Days, culminating in a Capitol Hill rally in Washington, D.C., in late 2025, where 130 youth leaders visited 85 legislative offices from 27 states to advocate for strengthened youth employment pathways.
Veolia recently hosted the inaugural Youth Champion Employer Council Roundtable at its Washington, D.C. office, bringing together employers from healthcare, manufacturing, and other industries to discuss workforce challenges and outline steps for collaboration with the NYEC network. Dr. Mary Ann Haley, Executive Director of NYEC, noted: "Employers are eager to move beyond one-off hiring to be part of a coordinated strategy that connects youth to long-term careers." The Veolia-NYEC partnership plans to work with local agencies in the coming year to build scalable talent pathways based on real market needs, introducing motivated and diverse young talent to ensure a skilled workforce for the future of the water industry.
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