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The Netherlands is known worldwide as a water country. Yet working in hydraulic engineering is still unknown to many young people. To turn that tide, the Association of Hydraulic Engineers and the O&O Fund Hydraulic Engineering are launching the labor market campaign ‘Keep it nice and dry.
“No unnecessary luxury,” said Edwin Brinksma of O&O Water Fund. “The challenge of making and keeping the Netherlands water-safe is only growing. Many new professionals will be needed in the coming years. The campaign is therefore multi-year, because once the seed is planted, you have to keep watering it.”
With the campaign and the underlying platform kieswaterbouw.nl, the sector wants to show young people between the ages of 12 and 20 how versatile and socially relevant work in hydraulic engineering is. Although hydraulic engineering plays an indispensable role in the Netherlands, it is still relatively unknown to young people. Many students have an image of professions in construction or engineering, but are less aware of what exactly hydraulic engineers do. “That's why we have to make it visible and tangible, then it comes alive,” says Erwin Holterhues of the Association of Hydraulic Engineers. “In this sector, professionals work daily on projects that directly affect the safety and livability of the Netherlands. From dredging and coastal defense to port development and river projects. The result of the work is thus concrete and recognizable in the immediate surroundings of young people. We need to show that more.” At the same time, the sector offers good career prospects, from practically trained specialists to college and university-educated engineers. “We emphasize this too in the campaign. We focus not only on the young people themselves but also on their parents. A good future for their children appeals to them. The sector offers a secure future due to the continuing demand for hydraulic engineering expertise.”
A special feature of the campaign is the broad collaboration within the sector. At an early stage, the supporters, specifically including communication and HR experts from the hydraulic engineering sector, were involved in the development. Acting together not only creates more reach, but also more support within the sector itself. According to Brinksma and Holterhues, this joint approach was essential. “By involving different organizations, experiences, ideas and insights could be brought together. This led to a campaign that was strategically thought out and connected to the perception of young people. The goal is not only to generate new inflow, but also to strengthen the sector's image.”
The campaign is strategically built in three phases: Touch, Tell and Sell. Each phase has its own purpose and aligns with the way young people process information. The first phase, Touch, revolves around curiosity. This phase is emphatically not about explanation or persuasion. The message remains deliberately open and stimulating. Campaign communications do refer to kieswaterbouw.nl, but do not yet tell the full story. The lack of explanation creates curiosity and challenges young people to explore further on their own.
In the second phase, Tell, the focus shifts from light-hearted to substantive. Here the story behind the campaign becomes visible and the initial expressions gain context and meaning. Young people discover what professions exist, what training is involved, and what role hydraulic engineering plays in society. The third phase, Sell, focuses on converting interest into action. Where Touch builds curiosity and Tell builds understanding and appreciation, Sell helps young people take the next step. That might include taking an occupational test, visiting an open day at a maritime or hydraulic engineering college, or delving into an internship or career in the industry.
In addition to the online campaign, the sector is also working to enthuse young people in other ways. For example, guest lectures are given at schools, the hydraulic engineering sector participates in educational fairs, and project visits are regularly organized with young people. By actually introducing young people to the field, the sector becomes concrete and understandable.
Initial reactions to the campaign are positive. The expressions are well received and manage to attract the attention of young people. It also appears that the campaign is having an effect within the sector itself. Companies indicate that the attention for the profession strengthens pride in work.
