Occupational and environmental health and safety (OEHS) (which includes the industrial hygiene profession) is a good place for recent grads to start their career.
According to a 2019 AIHA Salary Survey, the average starting salary in this field beat the average starting salary for graduates ($50,044)1 at $58,300. This factor, coupled with a strong job market, is behind a new AIHA outreach initiative aimed at creating awareness and driving interest in OEHS careers. AIHA, the association for scientists and professionals committed to preserving and ensuring OEHS in the workplace and community, launched a new website OEHS Science careers with free resources for students, teachers and counselors interested in learning more about this dynamic profession.
The site features videos of young professionals discussing their jobs as well as a list of universities that offer a degree in OEHS. Included is a reference to AIHA’s IH Professional Pathway program, an innovative resource that helps guide young professionals through the various stages of an OEHS career. And, for the younger students, AIHA’s IH Heroes initiative, a comic book style program that includes a web-based “smart” game, introduces the professional to students in a fun, educational manner.
This “behind-the-scenes” profession has been gaining visibility in recent months as a result of the essential work of OEHS professionals during the pandemic. COVID-19 has catapulted the OEHS profession into the spotlight, providing an opportune time for students to witness the critical work that these mission-driven, essential professionals provide.
"Our members are experts in addressing this pandemic and are well-regarded leaders in such areas as workplace respiratory protection programs, fit testing PPE, cleaning/disinfection protocols, and engineering controls strategies,” said AIHA CEO Lawrence D. Sloan. “More than ever, students and young professionals can see that OEHS professionals are on the frontlines protecting workers in every vocation and environment imaginable,” he added.
Beyond attractive starting salaries for entry-level professionals, students pursuing an OEHS career have an opportunity to earn full or partial scholarships at ABET and other regionally accredited universities. Graduates enter a rapidly growing field in which they can put their applied science to work and literally help save lives – a truly altruistic and rewarding career. There are no specific curricula for an OEHS career. Students may enter the profession from a variety of backgrounds and degrees.
Anecdotally, professionals who had originally pursued undergraduate majors in engineering, pre-med, pre-pharma, nursing, and basic life sciences (i.e., biology, chemistry, physics), may find themselves in OEHS. “With an IH career you can essentially go practice in every imaginable industry sector that is out there, so there are a lot of different choices you can make,” said AIHA member Tim Paz in one of the videos featured on the website. OEHS work is diverse and may require interactions with all levels of an organization, ranging from the shop floor supervisor to the business C-suite executive.
The job venue ranges from a traditional office setting to a manufacturing plant or laboratory to an oil rig or even a construction site. OEHS professionals may assist a scientific research firm in safely developing cutting-edge pharmaceuticals, helping first responders better prepare for natural disasters, or protecting workers and the environment from oil spills at refineries. This new microsite also serves as a comprehensive resource for STEM teachers and career/guidance counselors, who may not be familiar with this career path.