A typical day for a Health Protection Officer could involve:
Supporting an early learning service to stop the spread of an infectious disease amongst their tamariki
Investigating reports of environmental-related illness and carrying out testing to understand the causes
Working on the ground during emergencies to assess health hazards
Providing advice to communities to help them stay safe
Responding to concerns raised by members of the public
Carrying out compliance checks
How to become a Health Protection Officer
A career as a Health Protection Officer tends to suit people who have a passion for science and health, but also like getting out in the community and dealing with people.
To enter this career you’ll need to have one of the following:
Bachelor of Health Science (Environmental Health) from Massey University
Bachelor of Science (Environmental Sciences) or (Food Safety) or (Health Protection) from Auckland University of Technology (AUT)
Graduate Diploma in Environmental Health from Massey University
Postgraduate Diploma in Public Health from Massey University.
After your degree you’ll start out as a Technical Officer, and then earn and learn on the job to become a designated Health Protection Officer.
Useful subjects to study at school or college include biology, chemistry, health education, maths and physics.
More information on career pathways is available fromCareers.govt.nz.
What you get out of it
On the job training and opportunities to develop your technical skills