ASSP announced it's looking to create a new map on how to educate EHS professionals.
Why?
Well first of all according to their research only 40% of workplace safety professionals travel a traditional education pathway from K-12 to postsecondary education and beyond.
What about the majority of EHS professionals? Well, 60% take a non-traditional path into safety from other disciplines.
And at every safety conference I have attended, many say that they entered the field without having safety-related degrees. ASSP found that this is true for 80% of current EHS professionals.
So the challenge says ASSP is "for companies is to ensure all safety professionals have the specific skills to succeed in the workplace regardless of how they entered the profession."
To help figure all of this out they are creating a task force, supported by J. Alssid Associates, which will map the various career pathways of safety professionals, whether they enter the profession as students, career changers or former military members. Current safety professionals looking to enhance their skills will be part of the mapping analysis.
“We’re looking to meet learners wherever they are in their careers so we can help create a highly skilled and more inclusive safety workforce that meets the evolving needs of employers,” said ASSP Foundation Chair Trish Ennis, in a statement.
This is especially important at this particular time since currently, more than 120,000 safety positions are open nationwide.
The new educational framework will align with the global framework from the International Network of Safety and Health Professional Organizations (INSHPO) that defines the role, functions and competencies of occupational safety and health professionals. The framework will also be informed by ABET accreditation standards and other quality programs and certification bodies.
Want to have a say in all of this? The ASSP Foundation is accepting applications for the task force through Nov. 11.