than earning a degree. Employers are look- ing for experience, achievements, and prac- tical knowledge of the profession, all of which we can help our future leaders obtain. Our free student memberships will help stu- dents prepare to enter the workforce on day one. Through our network, student mem- bers also have exclusive access to mentor- ship programs, scholarship opportunities, and discounted rates to attend our Annual Educational Conference & Exhibition. We also recognize that education and learning is a life-long process. So, we have programs in place to help our experienced workforce members continue to grow and develop their skills. One such program is our webinar series of the soft skills of lead- ership (see Sidebar). Through these recorded webinars, you can hear from experts on the current information ecosystem, eective messaging for environmental health profes- sionals, social and emotional skills, and how to work with the media. As we start a new year, it is customary to assess what we have accomplished over the last year and what we hope to attain in the coming several months. While many chal- lenges in environmental public health require
careful coordination, collaboration, and com- promise with our partners and policymakers, we can all agree that professional develop- ment and educational growth should be a priority. Over this year, we will continue to champion environmental health education and development for all our members regard- less of where they are in their environmental health journeys.
Additional Resources
• National Environmental Health Association – Free Student Membership: www.neha.org/students – Leadership: The Hard Facts of Soft Skills: www.neha.org/leadership- webinar-series • 10 Essential Public Health Services: www.cdc.gov/public-health-gateway/ php/about/index.html • Research Brief—Staf ng Up: Workforce Levels Needed to Provide Basic Public Health Services: https:// debeaumont.org/wp-content/uploads/ 2021/10/Staf ng-Up-FINAL.pdf • Report of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment: https://documents. un.org/doc/undoc/gen/nl7/300/05/ pdf/nl730005.pdf • Workplace Perceptions and Experiences Related to COVID-19 Response Efforts Among Public Health Workers: www.cdc.gov/mmwr/ volumes/71/wr/mm7129a3.htm
akhan@neha.org
References Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). 10 Essential Public Health Services . https://www.cdc.gov/public-health-gate way/php/about/index.html de Beaumont Foundation, & Public Health National Center for Innovation. (2021, October). Sta ng up: Workforce levels needed to provide basic public health services for all Americans [Research brief]. https://debeau mont.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/ Stang-Up-FINAL.pdf
Did You Know?
You can find a listing of our scheduled webinars at www.neha.org/education/ events. We oer a variety of webinars on dierent topics throughout the year. You can also earn continuing education contact hours toward your NEHA credential by attending our webinars.
Stand out in the crowd. Show the world you are the environmental health expert you know you are with a credential. You might even earn more or get promoted. neha.org/credentials
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January/February 2025 • Journal of Environmental Health
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