Achim und Donnie at the training

Maren and a lady from another team

Ulli and his coach

Michael and Stephen

A question which I often get asked.     Why do you support such an event?
What are the benefits for you, for your DWA organization?

I asked that question a lot when I joint DWA in 1992. I asked my boss at that time. Why are more than 2300 German professionals work voluntarily for DWA? I could not understand why they work without getting money. I learned that these professionals are willing to make chances, to network, to give, to learn form each other to be the best of it´s subject. Most of these professionals are highly educated and pasted the University. They “burn” for there subject, they want to be good.

Why are wastewater technicians are engaged in such an skills competition? For me the answer is pretty easy.  It is the same motivation as discribed above. To make a difference, to chance behaviours, to be proud to be good in the job, to network, to learn and to be flexible in the ways to do things. The also “burn” for there job.

DWA is an non-profit making and an non-government organization. We are networkers, we train people, we get people together, we are a learning companies. That´s all about.

Why I´m so crazy to go to Chicago? Karl Imhoff, a pioneer in wastewater in the early last century, travelled a lot to the US and to other countries. He got new ideas, developed them and made a lot of changes in Germany. I travelled more than 60 countries in the world. I have seen many water utilities. Individuales can make a lot of changes if they are open mineded, flexible and interested in the things we do.

Look into these faces and see the “Spirit of Chicago” – see the engagement, the joy of makeing things happen, enthusiasem, motivation.

You does not want to have such employees? In a time where many staff has lost it´s interest in work, in times to find hardly new motivated staff.

Let us put more staff under “fire”, let them “burn” for a new idea. Motivation is the key to success. I enjoy personally to work together with people who are motivated, engaged and dedicated to it´s job – to the clean water.

Looking from outside to Germany you see how small this country is, how powerful it can be and how much it has achieved. The way we see and do things is one out of many ways, be open to the changes in the world, stay open minded, do a good job where ever you work.

Whatch this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTznEIZRkLg
I love it.

Rüdiger Heidebrecht