Women of Water: How the Aquatics Industry Is Empowering Female Leaders

Aquatics thrives on the diversity of its sectors and its people. While traditionally underrepresented in this industry, women are a significant part in making waves across pool, hot tub, and spa work. With a vision of an inclusive and inspired industry, the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance and its Strategic Partner POOLCORP recently announced the new Women of Water initiative to empower and support women to lead with confidence and find both personal and professional success.

Launching in October 2025, Women of Water is designed to elevate women in aquatics through community-building, educational opportunities, and leadership development. No matter the sector, this special interest group connects women to establish a strong network of professionals that pushes our industry forward.

The Benefits

Across construction, manufacturing, retail, and service, this initiative will help women in aquatics:

• Advance Their Careers – Receive access to specialized trainings, skill-building opportunities, and key programming, like virtual and interactive sessions, that allow members to learn from fellow female leaders and form mentorships that inspire their own career success.
• Cultivate Community – Beyond traditional networking, female professionals will have the opportunity to develop relationships across the industry, share their experiences, and support each other in their endeavors.
• Fuel Industry Growth – This collaborative momentum will drive the growth of our sectors, empowering the voices of our own female leaders and encouraging more women to join aquatics.

Job Seeker Impact

Our industry exercises the “what’s next” mentality – actively listening to members and taking action through positive initiatives, and this program reinforces how aquatics is always looking to grow and diversify.

“Women of Water cultivates a strong support system that inspires the women of aquatics to achieve new heights in their personal and professional lives,” said Sabeena Hickman, CAE, President & CEO of PHTA. “For women in aquatics and those interested in aquatics careers, our hope is that this initiative serves as a guiding resource that enables their growth and success.”

This initiative launches as the demand for female professionals is greater than ever. Women are still the minority in many aquatics-related fields, comprising only 30-35% of the overall manufacturing workforce, 45-50% of the overall retail workforce, 30-35% of the overall utilities workforce, and just 11.2% of the overall construction workforce.

Get Involved

If you’re a jobseeker on the hunt for new roles and inspired by programs like Women of Water, here are a few ways to get started:

• Increase Your Industry Knowledge – The Work In Aquatics website is designed for jobseekers to explore the aquatics industry and learn about its unlimited career paths.
• Discover the Current Opportunities – Ready to dive in? Check out the exclusive Work In Aquatics job board, and discover openings available across sectors and experience levels.
• Dive into Women of Water – If you’re looking to get involved with WOW as you launch your career, contact wow@phta.org to network, volunteer, or attend an event.
• Connect with Us on Social – Follow along on social via the Work In Aquatics and Pool & Hot Tub Alliance accounts to learn more about career listings, WOW happenings, and networking opportunities.

Making Waves in the Future

As the workforce landscape continues to shift, Women of Water paves a bright path for the future of aquatics. Our industry is moving the needle with important initiatives that advocate for an influential group of women that drive our industry’s success.

With the goal to continuously empower our workforce, join us and find the space to grow and be supported in the pool and hot tub industry. Explore the different career paths and begin your journey on the Work In Aquatics job board.