Join us in May as we “Focus on the Future of Public Works” by highlighting APWA’s Integrated Strategy Committees. Integrated Strategy Committees provide expertise in areas that cross all public works disciplines. There are currently five Integrated Strategy Committees:
- Asset Management
- Leadership and Management
- Sustainability and Resiliency
- Workforce Development
- Technology (read more from “Focus on Trending Technologies”)
We encourage you to use these resources to gain new insights, refresh your knowledge, and share with your colleagues. Use #FocusOnPW to interact with your fellow public works professionals on social media!
Asset Management Committee News
#APWAAssetMgmt
Stephen Williams, MS, PLS GISP, Chair
The Asset Management Committee’s (AMC) work is most useful when it connects what other committees are doing to a common framework for managing the infrastructure underneath it all. That connecting framework is the Asset Management Roadmap, and its second version has been years in the making. What the committee set out to build was a document that a public works director in a small town could pick up and use: not one that requires a graduate degree to parse or a large agency budget to implement. After two years of work, we anticipate version 2.0 being available by PWX 2026. It was a labor of love among current and past committee members, and a fantastic group from our knowledge team.
We will be at PWX with another Happy Hour Jam, where the best discussions in asset management tend to happen in a relaxed environment and without a podium. We will also open the Asset Management Space on the exhibit floor the first day of the conference. Come find us, bring your questions, and tell us what the Roadmap gets right and how you would like to see it evolve.
To get involved with the AMC knowledge team, email AMC@apwa.org. If you are willing to contribute, we will find something worthwhile to put in front of you.
Leadership and Management Committee News
#APWALeads
Chris Anderson, AScT, CPWP-M, Chair
The Leadership and Management Committee (LMC) is advancing several initiatives to strengthen leadership development across APWA. This year, it finalized the Supervision, Management, and Leadership Education Frameworks, providing a common language and practical guidance to help committees and chapters align education and identify leadership skills across career stages. The committee is also updating APWA’s Ethics eCourses to reflect current challenges and incorporate practices from the Leadership Education Framework.
In addition, the committee is beginning updates to two publications, Public Works Administration: Supervision and Management and Public Works Administration: Operations in preparation for the release of new supervisor and manager microcredentials in 2028.
The committee is also prioritizing more intentional engagement of its knowledge team through relationship building, idea sharing, and practical discussions to help inform future leadership education. The committee is always looking for leaders to join its knowledge team and contribute to projects and conversations around leadership and management in public works. If you’re interested, please contact LMC@apwa.org.
Sustainability and Resiliency Committee News
#APWASustainabilityResiliency
John Milne, PE, ENV SP, Chair
Recognizing the critical need for economic and environmental sustainability in all areas of public works, and the increasing damage and expense our communities are experiencing from severe weather events, APWA’s “C4S” (Committee for Sustainability) was reconstituted as the Sustainability and Resiliency Committee (SRC). Our discussions on this expanded role have confirmed that decision, and the SRC continues with its efforts to provide educational materials that boost sustainability and resiliency efforts and outcomes in all areas of public works.
The SRC is a busy and productive committee. We continue to work with APWA Technical Committees on developing a Sustainability and Resiliency Online Learning Library, a key educational resource that identifies strategies and best practices to help members meet the sustainability and resiliency needs of their communities. At this point, we have completed library modules for Water Resources (including Green Infrastructure) and are actively working on Solid Waste Management (including Circular Economy), Transportation, and the remaining technical committees to complete the library.
The Learning Library adds to and enhances our other educational tools and materials such as Click, Listen & Learn webinars and our monthly articles in the APWA Reporter.
The SRC and our knowledge team have a busy work plan, with several interesting and important small groups either under way or in a scoping process. Issues the SRC are working on include:
- The interaction of sustainable land use planning and sustainable infrastructure
- The potential benefits of indigenous guidance for sustainable resource management (in collaboration with Āpōpō, our Aotearoa/New Zealand Asset Management partners)
- “Doing more with less,” ensuring the economic sustainability of our communities (see article in this month’s APWA Reporter)
We welcome the involvement of all members with a strong interest in sustainability and resiliency to help us with these multi-discipline efforts. If you have an interest and would like to contribute, please contact SRC@apwa.org.
Workforce Development Committee News
#APWAWorkforceDevelopment
Susan Hann, PE, Chair
APWA’s all-new career hub, CareerZone, is the place for public works professionals, employers, and anyone considering the field of public works for their next opportunity.
Welcoming new employees effectively is critical to building a strong, engaged, and productive public works team. The Workforce Development Committee (WDC) has curated employee onboarding tools and resources for those public works organizations who would like to develop or enhance their current onboarding processes. The Onboarding Toolbox provides templates for common tools used during onboarding. These are ready for agencies to personalize to fit their needs, with various formats provided. There are also a series of onboarding documents and/or templates from a variety of public works agencies to use for reference.
Looking Ahead: The Future of APWA Credentials
APWA is excited to share how its credentialing programs are evolving to better align with current industry trends and the changing needs of the public works workforce. Beginning in 2027, APWA will introduce a new credentialing strategy that features stackable credentials made up of microcredentials.
Microcredentials are focused credentials that validate specific skills through education and assessment, while stackable credentials allow these microcredentials to be combined toward a full certification. This education first approach emphasizes career relevant learning, real world application, and flexibility—allowing professionals to earn recognition along the way while building toward certification. This new model is designed to meet professionals where they are in their careers and help them move forward with confidence, while maintaining the rigor and value APWA credentials are known for.
New microcredentials will begin launching in 2027 with an update to the Certified Stormwater Manager (CSM) and Certified Public Fleet Professional (CPFP) programs. Learn more about the new stormwater microcredentials here. Information on the new fleet microcredentials will be available in July.
