Navigating the Student to Employee Lifecycle to Enhance Recruitment and Retention in Local Health Departments

Abstract

Objective: To better understand local health departments’ (LHDs) recruitment and retention needs and practices within the employee lifecycle. Design: This research used descriptive qualitative methods, with semistructured interviews and focus groups, with 69 participants from 35 LHDs and 23 schools. Transcripts were analyzed using deductive and inductive coding with descriptive coding and thematic analysis. Setting: Focus groups with students, career counselors, and new LHD employees and interviews with LHD representatives. Participants: Students, career counselors, and new LHD employees Main Outcome Measure: Outcomes of interest included salient themes within the employee lifecycle stages. Results: Five overarching themes were developed: (1) public health definition discordance; (2) supports needed for student internships and LHD career pathways; (3) the need to leverage partnerships and student career aspirations in LHD recruitment; (4) the need for effective LHD onboarding process; and (5) strategies for addressing retention challenges. Conclusions: Within the LHD employee lifecycle, connection points between student perceptions, student internships, LHD recruitment, LHD onboarding, and LHD retention are currently faltering and, if fixed, may strengthen public health recruitment and retention amongst students.