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BUSINESS NEWS JACOBS AND PARTNERS TO SUPPORT WATER RESILIENCE IN INDIA Jacobs has been engaged by Singapore Cooperation Enterprise to deliver engineering consultancy services focused on building sustainable urban water management, recycle, and re-use capabilities in India. As part of the Urban Management Program on Water Recycling and Reuse Phase 2 in India, in collaboration with NITI Aayog, Jacobs will deliver a series of workshops targeting policy leaders and specialists across eight Indian states and union territories. Jacobs will also deliver studies and designs which will examine the feasibility of the program, including potential funding models for recycled water treatment facilities. The program is being jointly funded by NITI Aayog and Temasek Foundation International as part of NITI Aayog’s vision for sustainable urban transformation in India. The workshops will focus on the key areas of non-revenue water management and used water treatment technology; preliminary design development for recycle/reuse facilities; development of project delivery options; and international best practices highlighting lessons from Singapore’s own experience developing a holistic, sustainable and closed loop water management approach. The year-
long program will capitalize on the collective expertise of thought leaders from across the India, Singapore and Asia Pacific region. “The appointment builds on a similar capability development program delivered by Jacobs and partners for NITI Aayog in 2016-17, which we plan to leverage to help develop a sustainable and resilient water management approach in India,” said Jacobs Buildings and Infrastructure Senior Vice President and General Manager Patrick Hill. Water quality and supply are critical issues for India. More than 163 million people live without access to clean water close to home. Climate change-induced rainfall variability, rapid urbanization and increasing industry demand are putting significant pressure on water supply and forcing water providers to look beyond natural rainfall to alternate water sources, including recycled water. “Building social acceptance of recycled water sources is a big challenge,” said Jacobs Director for Asia and India and Council Member of Singapore Water Association Vinod Singh. “India will greatly benefit from the expertise and insight SCE offers because Singapore has undergone a similar transformation in recent years.”
CH2M , which subsequently merged with Jacobs, has been working with PUB Singapore to deliver various water infrastructure resilience programs for more than 20 years, and has acted as the lead technical advisor and consultant to SCE on similar water infrastructure programs in India. “SCE is happy to share Singapore’s development experience inwatermanagement, specifically in the area of treated used water, with India. Treated used water, also commonly term as NEWater, forms part of Singapore’s four national taps strategy to meet the escalating water demands for the nation,” said SCE Director for International Partnerships Eric Lee. “We believe that Singapore’s experience in its water management practices would facilitate NITI Aayog’s objectives towards achieving a successful and sustainable urban water management system.” Jacobs leads the global professional services sector delivering solutions for a more connected, sustainable world. With a talent force of more than 80,000, Jacobs provides a full spectrum of services including scientific, technical, professional and construction- and program-management for business, industrial, commercial, government and infrastructure sectors.
HANK THOMAS, from page 11
So, here’s the big question: How do you prevent this? Well, first off, you can’t prevent all of it. The nature of the design business is that people are going to leave. That’s just the price of doing business. That being said, there are a few things you can do to minimize the rate of turnover: ❚ ❚ Work diversification. To be the best, you have to work with the best. That being said, make sure people are working with everyone in the office. Working with the same person every day, day after day, creates bad habits and limits creativity. ❚ ❚ Make them buy in. It’s harder to leave something that you feel a part of. Whether it’s a small project, or helping as part of a larger project, having ownership of something prevents the “this is just a job” mentality from setting in. ❚ ❚ Keep the conversation open and listen. Talk with your coworkers. Ask if they like what they are doing. If they men- tion the idea of wanting to try something else, let them try it. Offices have to be efficient, but training new personnel takes time, too. Allowing people to explore is easier than finding a new person all together. Plus, you never know, one day you might find the best spec writer you’ve ever known. When a person you have worked with and trusted for a long time decides to leave, it’s hard on everyone involved, and it’s probably a decision that did not come easily – especially if they have spent over three years with the company. If someone does decide to leave, make sure it’s not due to boredom or an insurmountable feeling of stagnation. Talented people are hard to find. Do your best to keep the talent you have! HANK THOMAS is a landscape architect at SWA Group. He can be reached at hthomas@swagroup.com.
programs that come across their desk. They know nothing of the details even if they can tell you the name of every past, present, and future project in the office. Proposals, budgets, and fees are left to the project managers. This is a small thing at first, but as their “lesser” peers start to become vetted in a project, they continue to float around. While respected by most people in the office for their technical prowess, no one, unfortunately, would consider talking to them about project help. No questions about material connections, sizes or shapes crosses their desk. The feeling of disrespect begins to grow until they decide that the only way for them to get ahead and to advance is to leave. Do they have a disagreement with the firm? No, not really, but they do feel it’s time to grow professionally. From their point of view, however, they cannot do it where they are. Shockingly to the senior designer, they give their two or three week notice, pack up their desk, and move on. Another firm picks up all those years of hard work, time, and commitment. “When a person you have worked with and trusted for a long time decides to leave, it’s hard on everyone involved, and it’s probably a decision that did not come easily – especially if they have spent over three years with the company.”
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THE ZWEIG LETTER May 13, 2019, ISSUE 1296
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