Attracting young professionals to the solid waste industry is no easy feat. With no clear track or degree in solid waste — and often no desire or thought to join the industry — how do you get young professionals to take even a first look?

Learn from the City of Tampa's fruitful internship program where out of eight interns, six are now working in local government, five remain in the solid waste industry, and two continued employment with the City of Tampa. The internship program began in 2020 and has helped cultivate a passion for the industry among newcomers. In this panel discussion, supervisors of the program and past interns — now successful in their own local government careers — provide insights on  attracting and retaining young professionals. The session combines insight from presenters and attendees to capture all the knowledge and insight in the room.