In the spirit of Environmental Public Health Week, September 26th – October 2nd, 2022, we caught up with Environmental Health Officer (EHO) Shane Wadden, Northern Health Team Leader for Environmental Health. He was happy to share a bit about his career steps as an EHO, and some of the benefits of being an EHO with Northern Health.
Can you tell us a bit about starting your role as an Environmental Health Officer
As an Environmental Health Officer (EHO) entering into the field in 2010, I couldn’t have imagined the experiences and developmental opportunities I would have. From day one, Northern Health has supported the growth and development of myself and so many of my fellow EHOs and colleagues.
When I became an EHO, I started in a generalist role, and at first, I’ll admit, it felt a little overwhelming! Thankfully, I realized early on that I was not on my own, and there was always an abundance of support from leadership and coworkers.
What’s it like being a generalist EHO?
A generalist role provides so much experience to a new EHO, and it really allows you to truly find your niche within the environmental health field. I believe having the opportunity to find where your passions are is an important step in personal and professional development. Northern Health provided me opportunities to further build on my area of interest. If you want to hone your skills as a professional, Northern Health is an amazing organization to do that, located in a beautiful region to live and grow.
Where has your role taken you?
Now, almost 13 years later, I am a Team Lead for the Environmental Health program with a drinking water portfolio. My passion over the years became focused on drinking water, and the continuous support I have been provided has been extremely valuable for my practice. To now have the opportunity to share and pass on my knowledge and learnings with the staff I work with makes me extremely grateful. It’s been a wonderful experience - one I hope many others get the opportunity to encounter.
Thanks to Shane for sharing a bit of his professional journey and giving such a great breakdown of the EHO pathway. Environmental Health continues to be a critical part of public health efforts in the North. Thank you, NH EHOs!
If you’re interested in a career as an EHO, connect with the Northern Health Recruitment team at nhjobs@northernhealth.ca or through our social channels. You can also view our EHO opportunities on the NH Expect More careers website.
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