Food Safety Matters – Episode 203

Guest: Dr. David Dyjack (NEHA)
Air Date: October 14, 2025
Main Theme: The Future of the Food Safety Workforce

Episode Overview

This episode features Dr. David Dyjack, Executive Director and CEO of the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA), exploring the changing face of the food safety workforce. The conversation dives into demographics, education and training trends, workforce recruitment and retention challenges, public/private sector roles, and how emerging risks and technologies—such as climate change and AI—shape workforce needs. The episode includes actionable insights for industry leaders, educators, and policy-makers invested in safeguarding the future of food safety.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Who Is the Future Food Safety Professional?

[37:23] Dr. Dyjack on Demographics and Shifts

• The traditional "male, pale, and stale" workforce is rapidly changing.
• Currently, 75% of environmental health/science freshmen are women; about two-thirds at the graduate level as well.
• This trend holds true not just in the US, but globally: "The profession is dominated by women everywhere I go ... we're anticipating three-quarters of the workforce [will be women]." (Dyjack, 38:40)
• Local government remains a primary career destination, with retail food as a major focus.

2. Educational Needs vs. Training Trends

[40:40] Dr. Dyjack on Foundations & Risks

• Dr. Dyjack expresses concern about diluting foundational science education in favor of quick, video-based training.
• “The foundation for food safety is in the sciences … understanding biology and understanding chemistry and frankly understanding physics.” (41:02)
• States like Maryland and Massachusetts are opening public health jobs to non-degree holders for accessibility and to address workforce shortages.
• Dyjack warns: “Do we really want that someone with a high school degree and a checklist who just had 30 minutes of training just in time to be out mediating [food safety]?” (44:53)
• He acknowledges the demand for workforce and ‘just-in-time’ learning, but stresses this must be balanced with rigorous foundational training.

3. Onboarding, Orientation & Entry Pathways

[46:19][47:46] Workforce Gaps and Thoughtful Onboarding

• Some regions face acute shortages: “We can't even get anyone with an associate’s degree to apply for our jobs.” (Dyjack, 46:35)
• AI, video-based learning, and smart glasses are fast emerging in training, but Dyjack calls for careful, structured onboarding: “There should be foundational training … some type of onboarding process … a 101, maybe a 40-hour class, that includes retail food.” (47:53)
• Orientation and continuous learning are crucial: “...this is one step in a hundred-mile journey.” (48:28)

4. The Importance of Continuing Education

[49:51] Adrian/Dr. Dyjack on Lifelong Learning Amid Change

• Climate change is already impacting food safety infrastructure—e.g., refrigeration failures in heatwaves.
• Continuing education is essential: “…in my lifetime it’s more important today than it was 30 years ago.” (50:38)

5. Workforce Uncertainty & Agency Shifts

[51:24][54:13] Regulatory Realignment and Job Security

• FDA is trending toward delegating inspection responsibilities to states, but many states may lack the necessary resources or readiness.
• “The key word, as I summarized our conference … was uncertainty. Right now there’s a lot of uncertainty in the field … is the current uncertainty scaring people away from getting into food safety as a profession?” (53:50–54:38)
• Dr. Dyjack observes a reversal: government jobs are now perceived as less stable compared to private sector roles.

6. Private Sector’s Role: Internships & Partnership

[56:01][60:57] Bridging Academia, Industry, and Public Health

• NEHA acts as a broker/catalyst between industry and public sector.
• Industry internships—especially paid, regionally diverse ones—can demystify food safety roles and boost recruitment: “If they offer a paid internship, individuals will be attracted to that … removes the mystery of working for the private sector.” (57:53)
• Credentialing is also highlighted as important and affordable.

7. The NEHA Food Safety Committee & Training Resources

[61:19][63:05] Addressing Training Gaps & Internationalization

• NEHA’s Food Safety Committee includes both public and private voices, guiding educational resource development and tracking workforce needs.
• Key focus: adapting to a digital/AI-driven era without sacrificing foundational education.
• NEHA offers globally recognized credentials (e.g., REHS/RS, CPFS), emergency preparedness courses, and next-gen training such as de-escalation (conflict management), which is attracting global participation.
• NEHA is internationalizing with Spanish-language resources and a user-friendly website for multilingual access.

8. Disaster Response, Resilience & Sustainability

[68:19][71:07] Building a Flexible, Sustainable Workforce

• Climate change and frequent disasters demand adaptability and interdisciplinary agility.
• Stress on the importance of deep science training: “…as long as the workforce is fundamentally trained in the sciences and they understand the context for public health … dropping a just-in-time training … is a heck of a lot easier.” (68:37)
• Cautions against ‘overnight experts’; emphasizes slow, steady preparation to avoid burnout/staff turnover.
• Advocates for career ladders, fluid movement between sectors, and a “public health orientation” versus a “checklist mentality” for long-term retention and success.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Workforce Demographics:
  “When I joined NEHA...the profession, including food safety, was male, pale and stale. During my 10 years at NEHA, that has flipped upside down.” (Dr. Dyjack, 37:45)

• On Foundational Knowledge:
  “This profession is so rich and so complicated and it’s interdisciplinary. You have to understand what the rest of the professions around you are doing...you can’t do that...with a high school degree and a 30 minute video.” (Dr. Dyjack, 42:30)

• On Shortcuts in Training:
  “We are having a natural experiment: how little can we do to prepare somebody for the profession and get them into the workforce as quickly as possible...” (Dr. Dyjack, 44:26)

• On Orientation & Burnout:
  “Let’s not rush that workforce in...they’ll burn out, they’ll be frustrated. Let’s prepare them properly and then I, I think there’s much more likely to be success.” (Dr. Dyjack, 70:02)

• On Public/Private Collaboration:
  “NEHA’s role is brokering and a catalyst...industry could do a much better job...at offering internships because it reduces the mystery of working for the private sector.” (Dr. Dyjack, 57:34)

• On Orientation Mindset:
  “Having a public health orientation is different. It’s like, how do we solve a problem together? ... And by having the proper orientation...then there’s much less likely to be conflict and folks will enjoy their employment more, they’re more likely to stay.” (Dr. Dyjack, 71:50)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [36:33] Introduction to Dr. Dyjack & the future-focused workforce conversation
• [37:23] Demographic shifts – from “male, pale, and stale” to majority women
• [40:40] The importance—and erosion—of rigorous education and risks of “just-in-time,” video-based training
• [46:19] Addressing critical hiring gaps; potential solutions for onboarding
• [49:51] Why continuing education matters more than ever in an era of rapid change
• [51:24] Regulatory and workforce uncertainty; FDA shifting responsibilities
• [56:01] Industry’s growing role; internships, credentialing, and NEHA’s brokerage mission
• [61:19] NEHA Food Safety Committee’s work addressing future needs
• [63:05] Internationalization and accessibility of NEHA educational resources
• [68:19] Disaster preparedness; lessons for building a sustainable, resilient workforce
• [71:50] Orientation, workplace wellness, and workforce retention

Conclusion

This episode provides a candid, deeply informed exploration of the coming transformation in the food safety workforce. Dr. Dyjack underscores demographic changes, the perils of under-training, and the importance of foundational science and meaningful, ongoing industry collaboration. Newcomers will increasingly be women, demand flexible pathways, and need robust mentorship and foundational training to navigate an ever-evolving landscape—shaped by climate risk, technology, and shifting public/private roles.

The conversation is a call for thoughtful, sustainable workforce development, with an eye toward both efficacy and professional well-being.