Building the Bench: How EHAC Programs and Health Departments Can Partner to Expand and Sustain the Environmental Public Health Workforce

Vollständiger Abstract

Worum geht es in dieser Arbeit?

Persistent environmental public health workforce shortages require stronger pathways for preparing, recruiting, and retaining the next generation of professionals. This column examines how partnerships between National Environmental Health Science & Protection Accreditation Council (EHAC)-accredited degree programs and local and state health departments can help address workforce needs by connecting workforce-ready graduates with opportunities in their communities. The authors highlight internships and practicum experiences as important mechanisms for providing students with applied training while giving agencies opportunities to identify and recruit future employees. They also discuss the role of the National Environmental Public Health Internship Program (NEPHIP) and strategies for addressing financial, administrative, and accessibility barriers to experiential learning. Sustained academic–practice partnerships can strengthen recruitment and retention, support succession planning, and create more resilient and sustainable environmental public health workforce pathways.