Sprinkler Age A Publication of the American Fire Sprinkler Association
Connect With NextGen
The American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA) is making a new effort to attract the Next Generation of employees from within our membership. To make this effort successful we need to start at the local level. With Generation Y taking over the work force, this effort comes at a time when it is more important than ever for the continued success of our industry and our organization.
Who are we looking for? We are looking for fitters and apprentices, designers, project managers, manufacturer and supplier reps, and anyone who fits the 40 and under age bracket that is interested in making themselves a leader within their company. They should get involved locally to learn the value of the AFSA so eventually they can participate on the national level if they choose to do so. As you’re identifying these individuals they can be invited to join our Next Gen LinkedIn or Facebook group via Nicole Duvall, AFSA’s Director of Communications (nduvall@firesprinkler.org or 214-349-5965 ext. 126), where they can participate in group discussions.
We are working on ways to use this group to help recruit younger people into our industry through the use of high school career fairs and college job fairs. We all know that construction is very much a family industry. We can build on that by looking outside of our industry to recruit employees. AFSA has a website to focus on jobs in our industry that you might find useful in these effort – firesprinklercareers.com.
In addition to promoting the fulfilling careers our industry offers, we can use AFSA’s scholarship program to increase awareness – afsascholarship.org. The High School Senior Scholarship is open to high school seniors and they can win one of 10 $2,000 scholarships. The Second Chance Scholarship is “open to anyone who has graduated high school or equivalency and wants to pursue a college degree or trade school education.” They have the opportunity to win one of five $1,000 scholarships. We’re encouraging you to share these scholarships to help bring attention to what we do every day, save lives and property.
Visit firesprinkler.org/nextgen.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Meaghen Moyer, Anchor Fire Protection, serves not only as leader of the Next Generation Work Group, but also as chairwoman of the AFSA Mid-Atlantic Chapter. She may be reached at mmoyer@anchorfireprotection.com or 610-762-0642.
