Environmental Health Training

We don't realise how big a part environmental health plays in our everyday lives and how varied and challenging the work of an environmental officer really is.

Environmental Health Officers can take their skills into a huge variety of public and private sector employers, and all kinds of generalist and specialists roles, offering a career that ticks all the right boxes for people who want real influence, satisfaction and challenge.

We are here to protect the public's health and improve the general quality of life. Everything from the air we breathe and the food we eat, to the water we swim in, the houses we live in and the places where we work. The fact is that the quality of our lives depends on the skills and knowledge of environmental health officers.

Getting qualified

Qualifying as an Environmental Health Officer will give you both some practical experience and technical knowledge in all the core areas of environmental health practice which covers food safety, environmental protection, housing and public health. This involves both academic study and work-based experiental learning.

Environmental Health is a graduate profession, so all would-be Environmental Health Officers must first obtain a degree accredited by the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health. It is possible to become qualified by studying at university full or part-time or by a number of other flexible routes.

Your routes of entry can depend on your age and experience. If you are leaving school or college and want to start an undergraduate course in environmental health, the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health partner universities usually think in terms of 160 points with science, at AS and A2 level, or 200 points without it.

The ideal route is a four-year sandwich course which includes a year of practical training experience. However there are some three-year courses with the year of practical work tacked on at the end.

For more mature aspirants, there are flexible alternatives into BSc degrees, including one-year science access of Foundation Degrees. Graduates who already have a BSc in another field may be able to go straight onto a post graduate MSc course and qualify that way.

About the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health

The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) has a long history and was originally founded in 1883 as the Association of Sanitary Inspectors to enable its members to share experiences, ideas and 'fellowship'. Despite going through name changes, the Association of 1883 and today's CIEH share a common goal - the protection and enhancement of public health and well being.

Today, the CIEH has over 10,500 members working in government, non-governmental agencies, companies and the armed forces.

The CIEH also has a hugely important role in maintaining professional standards, campaigning for improvements in public health and engaging in debate about global environmental challenges. They advise governments and collaborate with professionals and organisations around the world including the World Health Organisation.

To find out more visit http://www.cieh.org/