experiences (Heidari et al., 2019). According to Gerding et al. (2019), a large portion of the EPH workforce will retire within the next 5 years, which highlights the importance of planning trainings for new workers and pro- fessionals to advance to the next job level. A benefit of the varied EPH workforce is that we can hire from a broad pool of individuals; however, a disadvantage is that it is hard to train and measure needs without standard- ization in training. Our approach that used a descriptive methodology with the validated KAs from the NCS framework can help to improve standardized training in the future. We were able to identify the specific needs of the retail food regulatory workforce via quadrant analysis. The resulting insights can be used to recommend topics for focused training as EPH leaders plan training eorts in the retail food regulatory field. We are developing an interactive data dashboard to provide an in-depth analysis on gaps between relevance and exposure. Focusing on these gaps will allow us to prepare individuals to advance in the workforce and provide oppor- tunities to keep trainings up-to-date using a standardized process. Limitations and Future Directions The validity of the Training Needs Assess- ment might be aected by several biases. Pri- marily, its reliance on self-reported data can
introduce response bias—including social desirability and recall biases—as participant answers might reflect their personal views or perceived priorities. Additionally, the volun- tary nature of participation and the survey design—including its questions and response options—might have shaped responses, potentially skewing the data toward certain interests or perceived important areas. It is also important to note the cross-sec- tional nature of our data, which is limited to a particular snapshot in time. Because train- ing needs are not static, future methods of continuous data collection and analyses will be necessary. While these limitations might reduce the generalizability of the findings, we have demonstrated that the Training Needs Assessment is a strong approach to uncovering training needs within the EPH workforce that can be replicated and continuously updated to understand changing workforce needs. Conclusion These analyses allowed us to better under- stand the importance of validating KAs with regard to retail food safety. This research also provides insight into the need to understand both the relevance of and exposure to vali- dated KAs. By using the quadrant system, we were able to show the KAs that need priority focus for workforce training. This approach can be applied to the further assessment of
training needs in the retail food regulatory workforce and beyond. Our collected data can inform not only current training plans but also the continued development of the NCS framework by pro- viding a road map for priority KAs. Consis- tent and timely reviews of training needs are necessary to ensure the workforce remains up-to-date on the latest in scientific infor- mation and other workforce development issues. This work will be particularly impor- tant to reduce foodborne illness risk factors, which in turn will protect the broader health of the public. We hope to continually update our analyses through the use of our interac- tive data dashboard and collection of data on a regular basis. This endeavor will main- tain current and relevant insights into retail food regulatory workforce training needs and ensure that the workforce is well prepared in addressing emerging issues while also advancing their careers.
Acknowledgment: This work is supported by FDA under award #U2FFD007358.
Corresponding Author: Samantha Streuli, Senior Research and Evaluation Coordinator, National Environmental Health Association, 720 South Colorado Boulevard, Suite 105A,
Denver, CO 80246-1910. Email: sstreuli@neha.org
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