Evolving jobs in the urban water sector

Given the very existential importance of water, a career in the urban water sector can be potentially enriching and rewarding. The sector also holds promise in advancing urban liveability as well as social and community development, among other benefits. 

As with other resource sectors, such as the rapidly evolving energy sector, pundits expect a significant facelift in the nature and future of careers and jobs in the sector. This evolution of jobs in the sector occurs as organisations respond to drivers of change and opportunities enabled by “accelerators” such as technological innovations, alternative business models, and water entrepreneurships. Forward-looking organisations in the sector have begun to critically analyse and review the scope of jobs required to reform its operations and service delivery to achieve greater effectiveness and efficiency. This has led to novel initiatives ranging from the recruitment of young talent, reskilling, and improving career incentives for existing water workers. Such efforts have become increasingly imperative as challenges arising from demographic shifts, climate change, increased market competition, public accountability demands, an aging water workforce, amid other disruptors, confront the sector.   

This series will thus discuss important aspects about the future of the urban water workforce and aims to provide insights into actions the sector could take to promote (more) sustainable production, operations, and service delivery across economic, social, and environmental domains. Water entrepreneurs, utilities, water associations, and the public sector invited to this conversation will share their unique perspectives and experiences on their efforts at revitalizing the urban water workforce. 

Program Overview
9.30am: Registration and Morning Tea

9.55am: Opening Remarks by Prof Benjamin Cashore 

10.00am: Keynote Address -  What does the future look like for the urban water workforce? 

• Mr Perry Rivera, Founder and Managing Consultant, WatSan Analytics
  

11.00am: Panel 1 - Drivers of change in the urban water workforce, challenges, and accelerators, as faced by different stakeholders in the urban water sector.

• Mr Perry Rivera, Founder and Managing Consultant, WatSan Analytics (Moderator)
  
• Mr Teodor Popa, Financial Manager, Compania Apa Brasov SA, Romania
• Prof Cara Beal, Director, Cities Research Institute, Griffith University
• Dr Ir Ts Mohmad Asari Bin Daud, President, The Malaysian Water Association

• Prof Benjamin Cashore, Li Ka Shing Professor in Public Management and Director, Institute for Environment and Sustainability (IES), Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (Moderator)
• Mr Vinod Singh, Senior Director (Asia), Jacobs and Vice-President, Singapore Water Association
• Mr Robin Wong, Founder & Chief Commercial Officer, Teamsolve Pte Ltd
• Ms Wang Shanshan, Water Business Lead - Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Arup
  
• Dr Yugal Joshi, Adviser, Water & Land Resources, and Communication, NITI Aayog, Government of India
  

• Dr. Corinne Ong, Co-Deputy Director & Senior Research Fellow, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (Co-Chairperson)
• Dr. Cecilia Tortajada, Adjunct Senior Research Fellow, Institute of Water Policy, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy