Young Professionals
What is the SWANA Young Professionals Group?
Purpose
A “Young Professional” (YP) is defined as an individual in the resource management industry (a.k.a. solid waste industry) who is 35 years of age or younger. The YPs includes everyone working in the industry – from field/operations staff to office workers, working in public or private sector, operations or management, collections, processing or disposal, legal or marketing, etc. The YP Group is committed to actively pursuing the engagement and career advancement of the fellow YPs by providing learning, networking and leadership opportunities by creating active roles in SWANA.
Mission Statement
The SWANA YP Group provides a structured bridge from an entry-level to a mid-career leader in the resource management industry. The group aims to develop a pool of well-rounded leaders for the future of our industry and provide a platform to elevate new ideas and initiatives from the youngest members of the industry.
The SWANA Young Professionals support the mission of SWANA to advance from solid waste management to resource management by offering YP focused programs designed to foster interest in industry-related careers, encourage active involvement in the industry, and develop young SWANA members into future leaders of the association.
Why Join?
The SWANA Young Professionals Group is run by YPs for YPs who are interested in advancing into leadership positions. Here are a few of the many benefits of the Young Professional group:
- Webinars and conference sessions designed specifically for Young Professionals’ professional development
- Mentorship program — networking and learning from industry leaders
- Opportunities to voice your opinion about the future of SWANA and become an integral part of SWANA leadership
- Access to training and development that will deliver a clear, transferable, and recognizable skill set
- Access to a network of other Young Professionals
How Do I Join?
New member Young Professionals pay a special first-year membership fee of $110.
The renewal rates for new YP members following their first year:
- Year 2: $160 for a renewing YP under the Public, Private, or Small Business sector
- Year 3: $210 for a renewing YP under the Public, Private, or Small Business sector
- Year 4: Back to full price at the standard membership rate for the industry sector
Must be a YP member for three consecutive years to receive the discounted YP membership rates. Once your membership is complete, log-in to your MySWANA account to connect with other YPs, interact with YPs on X, Instagram, and Facebook or check in with the YP Linkedin Group.
If you have any questions, please contact membership@swana.org.
How Do I Get Involved?
Recruitment, development, and involvement of Young Professionals (YPs) is critical to the future of SWANA. That’s why SWANA has developed a Young Professionals Group to foster YP participation at the local level through a team of regional representatives and chapter liaisons as well as on the national level through a team of technical division representatives and a Young Professionals Steering Committee. For those not looking to formally assume a role, you can reach out to the representatives and liaisons to help coordinate formal or informal events.
Connect with Regional Representatives and Other YP Leadership >>
How Do I Get Involved Internationally?
The ISWA Young Professionals Group aims to bring about new ideas and initiatives that address the challenges in waste management through engagement with wider society. In addition, the YPG strives to make global connection to people, ideas and knowledge more accessible. ISWA YPG is open to anyone under the age of 35 who is working in the field of waste management. SWANA has partnered with ISWA to offer a free six-month trial of ISWA membership.
YP Spotlight
With more than 1,000 YPs in SWANA, your accomplishments are something to be very proud of. Nominate yourself or your peers to be featured in the “YP Spotlight” section of the The Resource e-newsletter.
Student Design Competition
The SWANA Student Design Competition (SDC) is a team project focused on solving a real-world problem faced by resource management professionals, providing professional experience to students pursuing an education and/or career in resource management and related environmental fields. SWANA Young Professionals help develop the problem statements annually for the SDC while supporting promotion and overall management of the program.
YP of the Year Award
The SWANA Young Professional of the Year Award formally acknowledges the hard work and dedication of Young Professionals (YP) in the solid waste industry. The award, which is presented to three exemplary Young Professional members annually, recognizes YP’s for outstanding performance and dedication to the solid waste and resource management industry.
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