For Careerockit 2019, returning sponsor Metropolitan Utilities District (MUD) gave visiting students an assignment at the District’s Platte South Water Treatment Plant – with the goal of, perhaps, giving them a job someday.
Two groups toured the plant during Careerockit week: a Boys and Girls Club contingent from Morton Middle School on Wednesday, Feb. 13, and students from Bryan High School’s urban agriculture career academy on Thursday, Feb. 14. The groups heard from human resources about different career opportunities with MUD and then broke into teams for some hands-on interaction. Team members had to work together to create a water filtration system using everyday items – from coffee filters to pebbles and kitty litter.
“They designed it, built it and talked about how they decided on materials,” says MUD’s Cindy Bacon. “We had them pour the dirty water and whoever came out with the clearest water won.”
Each table was joined by a representative from a different career option at the plant: an accountant, a water plant engineer, a chemist and a chemical equipment mechanic. They gave a brief overview of their job, the classes they took in high school and college, and any certifications required.
“Hopefully that enticed some of the student to think, ‘Maybe, that’s for me,’” Cindy says. “We have all kinds of jobs here – jobs that pay really well.”
To round out their Careerockit experiences, the students were given a short demonstration of MUD’s actual water filtration process and an indoor tour of the facility.
“I didn’t want a speaker to just give a PowerPoint. We wanted to be interactive,” Cindy says. “We wanted the students to be able to see behind the scenes of the water treatment facility.”
Cindy says Careerockit sponsorship and participation is an extension of MUD’s commitment to the chambers it supports with and the communities it serves.
