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In 2021, after months of conversations with individuals across the industry, the National Hydropower Association (NHA) quietly launched a new young professionals group. Although a similar group had existed at NHA in the past, the new iteration is a little different.
Going beyond the scope of just young professionals, this group — christened the Future Leaders of Waterpower (FLOW) — intends on addressing a glaring gap in diversity at all levels within the waterpower industry.
“NHA strives to engage new and diverse voices on all of its platforms.” says Diane Lear, vice president of operations and member services. “We envision a future in which FLOW plays a vital role in promoting inclusion and providing the exposure and experience necessary for these up-and-coming leaders to continue advocating for the future of waterpower.”
WHAT IS FLOW?
Future Leaders of Waterpower, or FLOW, was created with the goal of attracting diverse and young professionals to the waterpower industry. With up to 25% of the electric generation industry getting ready to retire in the next five years, the waterpower industry is facing a critical moment. Waterpower desperately needs to recruit a wide arrange of bright and talented minds in order to continue advocating for the industry.
However, these types of professionals are ambitious and eager to advance in their careers. Additionally, since the hydropower community is tight-knit, attending events is often isolating for newcomers. So, it seems that the two largest issues for potential FLOW members are a lack of a sense of community and uncertainty around career advancement.
FLOW intends on changing that. By providing opportunities for members to meet and build lasting connections with each other and opportunities for engagement within the industry, FLOW hopes to cultivate the next generation of leaders who will commit to and strengthen the future of waterpower.
JOINING FLOW
FLOW is open to anyone, regardless of whether they work for an organization that is a member of NHA. The group especially welcomes:
- Young professionals under the age of 40
- Professionals with 15 years or less experience in the waterpower industry
- Women
- BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color)
- Veterans
- LGBTQ+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer or Questioning)
- Students
- People with disabilities
Getting involved in FLOW is as easy as sending an email to Marycella Dumlao. Once this is done, members will receive an invite to a standing monthly virtual video call and updates on the group’s virtual and in-person activities.
The easiest way to engage with FLOW is by participating in the monthly virtual video calls. These calls feature a wide array of speakers – recent guests include Justin Trudell, Chief Operating Officer (COO), Firstlight Power who spoke about the excitement of pumped storage hydropower and Kelly Schaeffer, principal consultant at Kleinschmidt Associates, who shared her “top 5” career tips. The calls emphasize transfer of knowledge and building soft skills. You can watch an example of a FLOW call here.
NHA asks that existing and potential FLOW members fill out this 2022 FLOW Member Survey. Regardless of whether you have attended a FLOW event, hearing from people who are interested in the group will help FLOW leadership and NHA staff shape a program that fulfills the needs of its members.
A DUAL PURPOSE
FLOW offers two crucial services to its members: the exposure necessary to strategically position oneself for promotion and a connection with friendly faces in the industry.
Members of FLOW are invited to author and submit articles to POWERHOUSE, to participate in content-building steering committees, and to speak at NHA national and regional events. Not only does this give rising talent the experience they need to succeed, but it also ensures that all of NHA’s platforms provide content curated for FLOW members.
Attendance at in-person events is also encouraged; this attendance provides crucial access to educational content and networking opportunities. Newer hires are often overlooked when organizations send teams to events. To combat this, NHA offers FLOW members special discounted registration rates to help toward removing barriers to event attendance.
At the upcoming Waterpower Week in Washington being held at the Capital Hilton April 5-7, FLOW will host an off-site ticketed networking happy hour. Register for Waterpower Week here. Those who are interested in FLOW should contact Marycella Dumlao to receive the FLOW discounted registration rate.
An annual meet-and-greet between FLOW members and existing industry leaders is held at the Clean Currents conference + tradeshow. Although FLOW is not a formal mentorship program, meeting the current movers-and-shakers of the industry is vital for those who are in the early to middle stages of their careers – as much as 85% of jobs and promotions are filled through networking.
SEEKING A VOLUNTEER LEADER
FLOW is currently seeking a social chair and hopes to recruit from an asset owner. Being part of the leadership team of FLOW provides amazing opportunities — from speaking at national events to participating in monthly calls with the NHA Board of Directors. If you are interested in self-nominating for this position, please contact Marycella Dumlao at marycella@hydro.org
