Last week, Pittsburgh Water hosted our first-ever Bring Your Child to Work Day. It was a day filled with learning, exploration, and proud moments for families across our organization. More than anything, our goal was simple: to give employees the chance to share their work with the people who matter most to them! We wanted students to see that providing safe, reliable water takes far more than what most people notice day to day; it takes people across every part of the organization working together to serve our community. 

We also saw it as an opportunity to expose these curious young minds to the wide variety of water sector careers that exist in a hands-on, engaging way. From the start, the aim was to make the event feel different from a traditional career fair. Instead of listening to presentations, students learned directly from the teams who do this work every day. Beyond simply showcasing careers, Bring Your Child to Work Day created an environment to recognize the pride our employees in take in the work they do each day while creating an opportunity for their families to experience it together.

Pittsburgh Water CEO Will Pickering speaks to employees and students during 'Bring Your Child to Work Day'

Planning our first Bring Your Child to Work Day quickly became a cross-functional effort. Employees from across the organization volunteered to demonstrate equipment, explain their roles, answer questions, and help build an experience that students would remember. Throughout the day, kids rotated through six hands-on stations highlighting water quality, customer service, sustainability, career pathways, field operations, and our specialized equipment and vehicles. They conducted a pH lab experiment, explored career paths with Human Resources, planted basil while learning about green infrastructure and pollinator gardens, and tackled a lively escape-room-style scavenger hunt with members of the Customer Service team. They collected passport stickers at each stop and wrapped up their day with reflection activities designed to spark conversation with their parents and guardians.

Months of planning went into the event, but some of the best moments were the ones that unfolded in real time. As attendance, weather, and the pace of the day shifted, employees and volunteers adapted instantly—adding hydration breaks, opening a hydrant for a crowd-pleasing demonstration, and even helping kids climb into a backhoe to “operate” the crane under supervision. The kids’ excitement was contagious, and their curiosity sparked countless questions (and maybe a few too many truck horns)!

As the event wrapped up for the day, it was clear the students who attended walked away with something meaningful: a better understanding of the important work their parents and guardians do every day, and the people who work together to make it all possible.

One of the biggest takeaways was how quickly people began thinking about next year. Staff shared ideas during and after the event, from involving more departments to expanding the event into a full-day experience.

As our first Bring Your Child to Work Day, we truly didn’t know what to expect. The response from employees, volunteers, parents, and students made it clear that this is something worth building on.

Finally, none of this would have been possible without the volunteers who made it happen. That willingness to help create a great experience for someone else’s family says a lot about the culture we’re continuing to build at Pittsburgh Water.