Shaping the Future of Solid Waste: How to Attract and Retain Young Professionals

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.

Speakers

  • Shelby Lewis
    Materials Management Consultant
    RRS
  • Edgar Castro Tello
    Recycling Coordinator
    City of Tampa Department of Solid Waste & Environmental Program Management
  • Kayla Caselli
    Sustainability & Resilience Officer
    City of Tampa
  • Jake Anderson
    Recycling Operations Specialist
    Circular Action Alliance
  • Renad Uri
    Recycling Program Manager
    Battle Motors
  • Tatum Flowers
    Solid Waste Operations Specialist Senior
    Clark County, WA
  • Tessa Coulter
    Recycling Specialist
    City of Tampa Department of Solid Waste & Environmental Program Management