SH&E professionals are--and will continue to be--in demand. That’s what NIOSH is saying based on its recent survey. “Over the coming year and beyond, the national demand for occupational safety and health services will significantly outstrip the number of people with the necessary training, education and experience to provide such services,” NIOSH says. “Although employers plan to hire at least 25,000 occupational safety and health professionals over the next 5 years, only about 12,000 new graduates are expected to be available from the academic programs that provide the needed pool of expertise nationally. NIOSH Director John Howard calls the results “troubling," especially in light of changing workforce demographics and emerging technologies. “The need for an adequate supply of trained professionals is particularly great as we anticipate that growing numbers of older professionals will retire over the next decade, and as new technologies continue to enter the workplace, requiring specialized skills and knowledge," he says. Read the report, "National Assessment of the Occupational Safety and Health Workforce," here.
A Blog From the American Society of Safety Engineers
