National Environmental Health Association Enhances Focus on Students to Build Future Workforce
October 1, 2024
Denver, CO – The National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) has enhanced their focus on student development to focus on engaging students in the environmental health workforce in state, territorial, local, and tribal communities.
The environmental health workforce is one of the largest professions in the public health sector, second only to nursing. Environmental health professionals work in state, territorial, local, and tribal agencies, community organizations, and industry to protect communities from health risks in the environment, such as wildfire smoke and water contamination.
"We know that about 40 percent of professionals in the environmental health workforce today plan to leave their jobs in the next few years,” said Dr. David Dyjack, NEHA chief executive officer. "Our focus on students is a key part to building the next generation of workforce who is trained and prepared to protect communities from emerging environmental health threats.”
While NEHA has always had a focus on student development such as providing scholarships and an internship program, the organization has added additional benefits and activities including giving students currently enrolled in environmental health coursework a free 12-month NEHA membership.
“While this is just a small gesture, we hope that it gives students a head start to their career by getting them connected to internships, education, credentials, and job opportunities available through NEHA membership,” said Dyjack.”
NEHA has also taken up the torch of the Student Research Competition after more than 20 years with the Association of Environmental Health Academic Programs and hosts the annual Environmental Health Grand Rounds Webinar Series with experts from across the environmental health career spectrum.
In 2025, NEHA will continue its highly successful National Environmental Public Health Internship Program (NEPHIP) in which they have facilitated 280 internships in 38 states and 1 territory and awarded scholarships to graduate and undergraduate environmental health students to help with tuition and fees.
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The National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) represents more than 7,000 governmental, private, academic, and uniformed services sector environmental health professionals in the U.S., its territories, and internationally. NEHA is the profession’s strongest advocate for excellence in the practice of environmental health as it delivers on its mission to build, sustain, and empower an effective environmental health workforce.