Non-STEM Students' Final-Year Playbook for a Water Career

You’re likely weighing your career options right now and feeling the pull from many “glamorous” industries. But before you commit, you should take a serious look at the water sector!

Beyond helping to build a more sustainable future, a career in water is also a strategic move for your professional life. The sector is currently facing a “silver tsunami” - a wave of experienced professionals reaching retirement age. This skills gap means that unlike the highly competitive fields of accounting or banking, a motivated young professional in the water sector has a genuine chance to get noticed and advance quickly.

This opportunity is amplified by the fact that the entire sector is currently under intense pressure to reform. Major reports like the Independent Water Commission’s final report and “Water 2050: A White Paper” both call for a completely new, long-term strategy. These documents clearly lay out the core problems: aging infrastructure, water scarcity fuelled by climate change and population growth, and the desperate need for massive investment to reduce pollution and secure our future water supply.

“A problem is a chance for you to do your best”

Here’s where your background becomes an asset:

• If you study business, economics, or finance: The urgent need for major infrastructure upgrades and conservation projects means companies and regulators require financial analysts and business strategists. You will be essential in channelling funds, developing new models for “water risk,” and ensuring solutions are profitable and sustainable.

• If you study communications or marketing: The industry needs skilled storytellers to drive behavioural change, rebuild public trust, and address critical issues like water scarcity and the talent shortage. You will design public awareness campaigns, elevate innovative solutions, and attract more people to tackle water challenges.

• If you study public policy, law, or humanities: Your analytical skills are vital for addressing the systemic failures in governance and regulation. You will draft cross-sector legislation, develop ethical access frameworks for vulnerable populations, and design the regulatory structures needed to steer massive investment toward pollution reduction and climate resilience.

Your Final-Year Playbook for a Water Career

Convinced about joining the water workforce? Excellent. Here are three tips to help you prepare:

1. Build Your Water Knowledge

You don’t need to be able to design a pump, but you do need to show employers you’ve done your homework. Here are some of our favourite resources:

• Don’t Waste Water Podcast: Antoine Walter and his team put together a ‘Water MBA’/The DWW Deep Dive Collection, which summarises episodes for an approachable deep dive into the sector. This is a fantastic entry point.

• Water.org’s website and reports: These provide compelling stories and data, making them an ideal resource for anyone interested in communications or public relations.

• Of course, subscribe to Greensider’s Water Careers 101. We’ll show you how to find impactful work, and we have more exciting content coming up where you can learn about challenges and solutions, from global policy to local innovation.

2. Show Real Actions

The point is to create a track record of hands-on experiences and show future employers your commitment. Volunteering is usually the easiest way to start. But you can also take initiatives, such as starting a blog about local water policy or create a social media campaign for a water-related cause.

3. Be Smart at Networking

No doubt that you can reach out to people on LinkedIn. But there’s also your university’s career service where they can connect you to alumni who are usually very happy to share their insights or even mentor! Spoiler alert: Greensider is setting up an event calendar where you can discover everything from industry conferences to casual meet-ups.

The Final Word

This might be the ultimate non-STEM success story: MrBeast and TeamWater. MrBeast didn’t develop the water treatment tech, but his ability to craft a compelling story — by drinking the water treated from his own pee — and mobilise an audience brought the global water crisis more attention and funding than many traditional engineering reports combined.

That is the power you bring.