Industrial Hygienist Career Plan

You can make the decision to become an industrial hygienist as a high school student or as a college graduate. Industrial hygiene can be a good option to explore if you’ve graduated with a science degree and are not quite sure how you want to apply it. The path may be a little quicker, though, if you choose your career track early.

1. Take a college prep curriculum. Make sure you have a solid foundation in math and science; generally you’ll want to take more than the minimum number of classes required for graduation. Applied science courses (technology and engineering) will also develop your aptitudes.

2. Make time for career exploration. You may want to contact the Area Health Education Center to find out about job shadowing opportunities in your area. Another organization to become familiar with is the American Industrial Hygiene Association. The AIHA has a video for students that explores the profession – you can find other resources on AIHA site as well.

3. Explore accredited baccalaureate level education programs. The quickest route is to earn your bachelor’s in industrial hygiene. It’s also an option to do a bachelor’s in a science field like biology, chemistry, or physics. You might opt to take more specialized classwork at the graduate level.

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4. While in school, make connections in the professional world. Consider becoming a member of AIHA. Some schools have their own student sections.

5. Also begin searching for internships in industrial hygiene. You don’t have to be in the final stages of a degree program to obtain one. The minimum qualifications may be modest: for example, that you have completed twenty semester hours in sciences. Requirements will vary by sponsor, but be proactive.

6. Look for a position. Your professional connections may be a source of job leads. You can also utilize online job boards and LinkedIn.

Personality Traits: Industrial hygienists are analytical and conscientious. They’re good at identifying trends.

AIHA Industrial Hygienist Career Video

AIHA IH Video.