Health educators teach people about illness prevention and how to have a healthy lifestyle.

NOC Code: 4212

Job Duties

Health educators teach people about illness prevention and how to have a healthy lifestyle. You may work for community agencies, government agencies, schools, hospitals, research institutes, or in professional organizations. You may work with individual clients, groups or run programs for the general public. You may also be called a health promoter, health program coordinator, or health promotion specialist.  

Generally, health educators:

• Develop and implement health promotion strategies and programs.
• Design and facilitate workshops with community members on health-related issues.
• Provide support to individual clients on different health issues, such as pregnancy, childbirth, infant care or disabilities.
• Develop information and educational materials about healthy lifestyles for clients.
• Give the public information about where they can get health and social services.
• Work with various organizations, governmental bodies, community and social groups.
• Use presentation and word-processing software.

Source: HRSDC

Job Requirements

Education

Experience

Source: HRSDC

Essential Skills

As a health educator, you need to:

• Speak, write and read English.
• Understand health and medical terminology.
• Explain health concepts to clients and the public using easy-to-understand language.
• Be very accurate in your work, as it's often a matter of client and public safety.
• Have strong planning and organizational skills.
• Have good leadership and research skills.
• Work well with other people and on your own.

Language Skills

You need to communicate in person and on the phone with the public and other medical staff. You also need to take notes, write reports and give presentations.

Labour Market Information

Trends

It is important to have project management skills, work well in teams and have experience with adult education programs.

Prospects

Wages

Source: HRSDC

Retraining

Educational Programs

These links will give you a list of related educational programs or where you can search for them. There may be other schools that have similar programs, such as private career colleges. You may be able to get advanced standing.

• Search for related programs at Ontario colleges
• Search for related programs at Canadian universities

Bridging Programs

Here is a list of some bridging programs. These programs can help you assess your education and skills, get practical training or improve your language skills so that you can work in your field.

• Bridging programs for doctors

Language Training

Here is a list of some language training programs, such as Enhanced Language Training (ELT) and Occupation Specific Language Training (OSLT).

• Occupation Specific Language Training in Health Sciences - Sheridan College
• Workplace Communication Skills for Health Care
• Specialized Language Training Programs

Work Experience Programs

Many college programs and bridging programs in this field include co-operative (co-op) work experience.

Voluntary Membership Opportunities

• The International Doctors Network
• Ontario Public Health Association

Helpful Links

• Information for International Medical Graduates
• Information for Internationally-Trained Medical Doctors
• The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada
• Canadian Information Centre for International Medical Graduates
• Career Transitions for International Medical Doctors
• Orientation Course Canadian Health Care System, Culture and Context for Internationally Educated Health Care Professionals
• Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care
• Canadian Institutes of Health Research

The data in this profile is provided for informational purposes only. Some of the information may have changed since this profile was written. Please check the source for the most up-to-date information.