Lab Matters Fall 2024 | Page 144

APHL 2024 POSTER ABSTRACTS

Partnerships Form the Basis of an Articulated Public Health Laboratory Workforce Development Program

S . Mikorski , R . Siderits , T . Frez , S . Verma , N . Palmateer , T . Fan , S . Patel , S . Dwivedi , M . Gichura , A . Lidicker , F . Nindo , J . Studebaker , A . Hassan , J . Favate , R . Finney , T . Kirn , New Jersey Department of Health , Public Health and Environmental Laboratories

Rapid scientific and technological growth is spurring the need to accelerate workforce development to maintain national security , promote economic growth , improve quality of life and assure diversity , equity and inclusion in the workforce . The New Jersey Public Health and Environmental Laboratories ( PHEL ) was awarded CDC Public Health Infrastructure NOA # 6 NE11OE000055-01-02 and ELC Enhancing Expanded COVID funding 6 NU50CK000525-02-04 to develop an articulated public health laboratory workforce development program . The program includes :

• Recruiting staff with Advanced Skills

• Developing staff through Enhanced Training

• Internship and Fellowship Programs

• Providing STEM Experiences

We continue to finetune our program by hiring additional Workforce Development staff , creating job descriptions for new positions , performing training needs assessments in data management and analysis for existing staff , developing skills of our mentors , engaging students and fellows in development of a STEM program and by providing selected staff access to subject matter expertise offered through academic programs .

Presenter : Susan Mikorski , Susan . MIkorski @ doh . nj . gov

Public Health Laboratory Fellowship Program : an APHL-CDC Initiative

R . Nickla , Association of Public Health Laboratories

Overview of the Public Health Laboratory Fellowship Program : an APHL-CDC Initiative . This poster will highlight many of the fellowship program benefits and goals and will share additional information such as program statistics and how interested applicants can apply to be a fellow or mentor working on meaning fellowship projects that support public health laboratory initiatives .

Presenter : Rob Nickla , robert . nickla @ aphl . org

Recruit and Retain Laboratorians with Loan Forgiveness A . Cosser , Association of Public Health Laboratories

Recruitment and retention of qualified personnel continues to be a challenge at most public health laboratories ( PHLs ). The Association of Public Health Laboratories ( APHL ) Salary Comparison Dashboard and Workforce Profiles confirms what is well known by PHL directors ; a top driver of staff leaving the PHL workforce is related to the lower salaries when compared to external laboratory work . The 2022 APHL Workforce Profile Survey discovered that 42 % of the PHL workforce intends to leave their lab within four years with 52 % citing job salary as their top reason for leaving . 1 , 2 Overall job satisfaction is high with 97 % of respondents agreeing the work they do is important and 87 % agreeing they are satisfied with their job . 2 This data indicates unsatisfactory income being a primary reason for turnover and not unhappiness with the work they are performing .

PHLs can use the Public Service Loan Forgiveness ( PSLF ) Program as a strategy to improve workforce recruitment and retention by sharing program eligibility in job postings and encouraging current staff to apply . The PSLF Program forgives federal Direct subsidized , unsubsidized , PLUS and consolidated student loans after 120 qualifying monthly payments while working fulltime for an eligible employer . This includes U . S . -based government organizations at any level ( federal , state , local , or tribal ). 3 A PSLF form must be completed for qualification which requires certification by the employer . PHLs can encourage participation in the PSLF Program through cues to action , such as reminding staff to complete the form annually .

This poster will describe who and what payments qualify for the PSLF Program , the form submission process and how to get the most financial benefit out of the program . PHLs can then use that information to improve staff recruitment and retainment .

References

1 . https :// www . aphl . org / aboutAPHL / publications / Documents / QSA-Workforce-Recruitment-Infographic . pdf

2 . https :// www . aphl . org / aboutAPHL / publications / Documents / QSA-Workforce-Retention-Infographic . pdf

3 . https :// studentaid . gov / manage-loans / forgivenesscancellation / public-service

Presenter : Amanda Cosser , amanda . cosser @ aphl . org

Recruiting a Successful Laboratory Workforce through a Collaborative Internship Program

K . Wentz , C . Barrett , F . Kessler , Virginia Division of Consolidated Laboratory Services

Background : An organizational internship program is an effective strategy for any workplace to recruit and potentially retain new , innovative employees . With the retirement of many members of the laboratory workforce currently and in the future , it is critical for every laboratory to invest time and resources into recruiting new employees . The Division of Consolidated Laboratory Services ( DCLS ) Summer Internship Program started in 2016 to address this need and has been growing each year . From 2016 to 2023 , the laboratory has recruited 25 students as interns , resulting in the completion of 22 projects at DCLS . Of the 25 interns , 19 transitioned to employment with DCLS after the end of their internship .

Methods : The DCLS Summer Internship Program is led by the Laboratory Systems Improvement and Training ( LSIT ) group at DCLS in collaboration with an internship committee comprised of employee volunteers from other groups within DCLS . The goal of the committee is to promote the internship program to colleges and other businesses within the Commonwealth , which includes sending internship opportunities to local colleges and universities , editing internship application documents and project proposals and assisting in applicant screening , selection and notification . The internship committee meets monthly , starting in the fall and ending in the spring after interns have been chosen .