The South East Community Facility (SECF) recently hosted the third annual Futures Fair – a unique event showcasing a wide range of career opportunities in utilities for local young people. Although 2020 is the third year that the fair has taken place, it was the first time SECF hosted the event virtually, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Futures Fair is a collaborative effort with support from the SFPUC community and firm partners.  

Over 100 youth joined in via Google Classroom to participate in three days of activities, and benefitted from inspirational talks from from local leaders like SFPUC General Manager Harlan Kelly and San Francisco District 10 Supervisor Shamann Walton.

Throughout the duration of the fair, participants explored utilities careers through online video lessons from SFPUC enterprises and firm partners, where they gained insight into careers in fields like water reuse and construction management.  The Futures Fair was fortunate to have SFPUC firm partners who volunteered across two of the three days to participate in live Q&A panels focused on wastewater and clean water projects. Fair participants also had several opportunities to engage with skills growth and professional development modules. A particular highlight was a LinkedIn series focused on interviewing and working remotely, and SFPUC employees were on hand to provide fair attendees with an a chance to do informational interviews. 

Inspite of the shift to an online format, the we’re proud that this year’s Futures Fair gave attendees a comprehensive introduction to careers in utilities and best practices for pursuing future careers, even during these challenging times.