It Was Also A Recruitment Fair For Women Looking For Jobs or Careers At LADWP
By Keemia Zhang
Last Saturday, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) hosted its first Women’s Career and Wellness Expo in Sun Valley, aiming to “introduce utility career paths” to students and members of the public.
The event acted as a recruitment fair to encourage women to build careers within the LADWP, with Board of Water and Power Commission President Cynthia McClain-Hill stating that the department is “intent on making LADWP a workplace where women desire and aspire to be.” According to the department’s website, 25% of its 11,000 employees are women.
Jobs on display included female line workers, security guards, welders, and engineers, listing both office jobs – revolving around the customer and financial service – and on-the-ground work – including mechanics, load dispatchers, truck operators, and storekeepers. Attendees were able to discuss their professional experiences and career paths with current department employees and observe live demonstrations of utility and electrical equipment.
The wellness booths listed the benefits offered to employees, such as health insurance, childcare, employee resource groups, and retirement plans. In addition to the professional resources, families also enjoyed a petting zoo, a speaker’s program, a rock-climbing wall, a fitness workout, a financial literacy session, and a meditation class. The expo, planned by the Board of Water and Power Commissioners and the Department’s Women’s Council, was produced in-house by the LADWP, with a supportive partnership from IBEW Local 18.
Martin L. Adams, LADWP General Manager, and Chief Engineer calls the department “a great place to work”, offering union-endorsed competitive pay rates, benefits, and opportunities for advancement. Adams also stressed the citywide importance of the LADWP, and credited the role of “the women in our workforce who are excellent at what they do” on the department’s impact.
Turnout for the event was high, with “several hundred students” from Ulysses S. Grant High School, Unite LA/Avantus Cleantech Career Academy, Central City Neighborhood Partners, and Compton Unified School District.
Adams said he was “thrilled” with attendance, stating that “our hope is that many get to meet the women who work with us and see for themselves how joining our team could be the best career decision they could ever make.”
