Ep. 203. Dr. David Dyjack: What Does the Future of the Food Safety Workforce Look Like?

David T. Dyjack, Dr.P.H., CIH has served as Executive Director and CEO of the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) since May 2015. Dr. Dyjack's 30-year career includes expertise in environmental health, emergency preparedness and response, public health informatics, infectious disease, workforce development, governmental infrastructure, maternal and child health, health equity, and chronic disease. A board-certified industrial hygienist, Dr. Dyjack also has advanced degrees in public health with a doctorate from the University of Michigan and a master's degree from the University of Utah.

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Dr. Dyjack [36:33] about:

• Which demographics may make up the future food safety workforce, based on NEHA data, and what professional support they may need
• How the learning preferences of younger generations are shaping current education and training initiatives for the food safety sector
• Shifting priorities at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and their potential influence on the future food safety workforce
• Industry's role in attracting and educating the future food safety workforce, and how NEHA works with industry to help realize these goals
• The work of NEHA's Food Safety Committee to help address food safety workforce training gaps and emerging challenges
• Who can benefit from NEHA's food safety courses and certificate programs
• The need for additional emergency preparedness training to mitigate food safety risks associated with increasing and more severe natural disasters brought on by climate change.

News and Resources

Government Shutdown Affects Food Safety: HHS Furloughs Employees, FDA Pauses CORE Investigation Table, Federal Layoffs to Hit HHS Amid Government Shutdown, May Affect Food Safety Staffers [3:08]

Another Death Reported in Listeria Outbreak Linked to Prepared Pasta Meals [8:09]

FDA Reveals Unsolved E. Coli Outbreak in New Foodborne Illness Outbreak Transparency Tools [16:19]

Fruit, Salmonella Caused Most Multistate Foodborne Illness Outbreaks in 2023, per CDC [19:16]

Four-Year UK Foodborne Pathogen Surveillance Program Concludes, FSA to Launch New Initiative [23:47]

USDA-FSIS Now Includes Gluten in Major Allergen Verification Activities [29:51]

Sponsored by:

Michigan State University Online Food Safety

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