shows KAs that respondents had low expo- sure to. These KAs were also considered to be low relevance, so reduced exposure might not be a priority concern for these particular topics. Some of the KAs in quadrant 4 include resource leveraging (KA48), formula review (KA25), and imports (KA29; Figure 3). Quadrant Analysis by Job Level We observed a noteworthy variation in the distribution of KAs by job level (Figure 4). Notably, the distribution of KAs on the graph shifted up toward quadrant 2 (high relevance/ high exposure) as job level increased. Further understanding of how specific KAs change position on the graph according to job level might be useful for designing targeted train- ings to help workers advance from one career level to the next. Our analyses indicate that 46% of the KAs were of high relevance/high exposure at all job levels. The KAs in quadrant 1 (low exposure/ high relevance) varied according to job level, showing which KAs need to be most urgently addressed using training targeted to each individual job level (Figure 5). Food systems and sustainability (KA23) was the only KA that was in quadrant 1 across all job levels. A number of KAs in quadrant 2 (high exposure/ high relevance) were common across all job levels (Figure 6). These particular KAs could be worth prioritizing in future trainings. Discussion This research provided a better understand- ing of the KAs that respondents thought required more attention to training based on how relevant the KAs are within the field of retail food regulation and how much expo- sure the workforce has to these areas. The KAs that were categorized in quadrant 1 will help workforce development teams in building appropriate training materials and educational programs. Additionally, KAs in quadrant 2 are those that require continued maintenance and improvement due to their importance in the field. Quadrant 1 (Low Exposure/High Relevance) The KAs in quadrant 1 that require the most urgent training across all job levels account for only 16% of the total number of KAs assessed (Figure 3). The topics within quadrant 1 are often emerging topics, new rules, or changes to
FIGURE 5
Knowledge Areas in Quadrant 1 by Job Level
Entry Level
Journey Level
Technical Level
Leadership Level
Food Systems and Sustainability
Continuity of Operations
Food Defense Vulnerability Assessment
Food Salvage and Disposal
Prevailing Health Principles
Sampling Techniques
Stakeholder Support Statistical Analysis
Traceability and Recalls
Vending
Vending Auditing
Legislative Affairs Policymaking Integrated Food Safety System
Food Emergencies Food Transportation Ingredients and Additives Microbiology Prevailing Health Principles Public Relations Science and Technology Specialized Process
KAs in each job level individually, then com- pared the distribution of KAs across job levels to determine if there were any dierences. Results The Training Needs Assessment received 2,267 qualified respondents who were from various age groups, job levels, and sectors. Responses came from 49 out of 50 U.S. states. These numbers indicate that our sample over- all is likely highly representative of the retail food regulatory workforce. Demographic analysis and implications have been detailed previously in Streuli et al. (2024). Overall Quadrant Analysis The overall relevance and exposure distribu- tion of KAs for all respondents are presented on a 4-quadrant graph (Figure 2). Quadrant 1 (low exposure/high relevance) includes KAs that might have lower exposure levels but are still highly relevant to the field. These KAs could be seen as priority training needs because they are relevant, but the workforce
does not receive enough exposure to them. Overall, quadrant 1 contained 16% of all KAs assessed. KAs in quadrant 1 include food salvage and disposal (KA21), continu- ity of operations (KA9), food transportation (KA24), and others (Figure 3). Quadrant 2 (high exposure/high relevance) incorporates a wide range of highly relevant topics to which respondents have also been highly exposed. In total, 72% of all KAs examined were in quadrant 2, which indi- cates that respondents were highly exposed to many of the KAs that they considered to be relevant to their work. KAs in quadrant 2 include communication skills (KA8); FDA Food Code , local ordinances, codes (KA14); inspections, compliance, and enforcement (KA32); and many other KAs (Figure 3). Quadrant 3 (high exposure/low relevance) did not include any KAs. This finding is a positive indicator that respondents did not feel that they were being highly exposed to KAs that were not very relevant to their work. Quadrant 4 (low exposure/low relevance)
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July/August 2024 • Journal of Environmental Health
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