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Occupation AtlasHealth Education Specialists

O*NET · 21-1091.00

Health Education Specialists

Provide and manage health education programs that help individuals, families, and their communities maximize and maintain healthy lifestyles. Use data to identify community needs prior to planning, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating programs designed to encourage healthy lifestyles, policies, and environments. May link health systems, health providers, insurers, and patients to address individual and population health needs. May serve as resource to assist individuals, other health professionals, or the community, and may administer fiscal resources for health education programs.

Also called Behavioral Health Educator · BLS Instructor · BLS Instructor (Basic Life Support Instructor) · Breastfeeding Educator · Breastfeeding Peer Counselor · CBE · Certified Breastfeeding Educator (CBE) · Certified Diabetes Educator
51 more

Certified Health Education Specialist · Certified Lactation Counselor (CLC) · Certified Lactation Educator · CHW · CLC · Clinical Educator · Clinical Instructor · Clinical Nurse Educator · Clinical Trial Educator · Community Educator · Community Health Consultant · Community Health Education Coordinator · Community Health Educator · Community Health Worker (CHW) · CPR and First Aid Instructor · CPR and First Aid Instructor (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and First Aid Instructor) · CPR Instructor · CPR Instructor (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Instructor) · Diabetes Educator · Early Breastfeeding Care Specialist · Education Coordinator · Education Specialist · Educator · Fitness Coach · Health Coach · Health Education Coordinator · Health Education Specialist · Health Educator · Health Promotion Specialist · Health Screener · Healthcare Educator · Healthcare Specialist · Instructor · Lactation Consultant · Lactation Specialist · Lamaze International Breastfeeding Support Specialist · Nurse Educator · Nutrition Educator · PCT Preceptor · PCT Preceptor (Patient Care Technician Preceptor) · Public Health Advisor · Public Health Analyst · Public Health Educator · Public Health Instructor · Public Health Officer · Public Health Representative · Public Health Specialist · Public Health Technologist · Public Information Officer · Registered Nurse Educator (RN Educator) · RN Educator

Job Zone 4 — Considerable Preparation NeededHolland code SIC35 skills on file

Compare with another occupationCompare with Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary

Job Zone

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5

Zone 4: Considerable Preparation Needed

Considerable preparation. Usually a bachelor's degree plus several years of work-related experience, knowledge, or training.

Job Zone is O*NET's rating of how much education, experience and training an occupation typically needs — a property of the work, not of anyone doing it.

Occupational interest profile

SICSocial · Investigative · Conventional — the three strongest interests, in order

  • S Social6.15
  • I Investigative5.29
  • C Conventional3.95
  • E Enterprising3.21
  • A Artistic2.54
  • R Realistic1.66

RIASEC (Holland) interests on O*NET's 0–7 scale: what the work draws on, not what any individual prefers. Hover a row for what each dimension means.

Education and experience

The education level respondents say the job requires, and the most common answer for experience and training.

  • High School Diploma or the equivalent3%
  • Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree62%
  • Bachelor's Degree31%
  • Master's Degree3%
Related work experience
Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years (42%)
On-site or in-plant training
Up to and including 1 month (64%)
On-the-job training
Over 1 month, up to and including 3 months (57%)

Typically associated skills

All 35 O*NET skills, most important first. Importance (1–5) says how much a skill matters here; level (0–7) says how much of it the work calls for, with O*NET's example of a nearby level. Neither is a proficiency rating of a person.

  • Speakingbasic4.14.3Level 4 looks like: Interview applicants to obtain personal and work history
  • Active Listeningbasic4.14.0Level 4 looks like: Answer inquiries regarding credit references
  • Writingbasic4.14.0Level 4 looks like: Write an email to staff outlining new directives
  • Learning Strategiesbasic4.04.1Level 4 looks like: Identify an alternative approach to help trainees who are having difficulties
  • Social Perceptiveness3.93.9Level 4 looks like: Be aware of how a coworker's promotion will affect a work group
  • Active Learningbasic3.93.6Level 4 looks like: Determine the impact of new menu changes on a restaurant's purchasing requirements
  • Critical Thinkingbasic3.84.0Level 4 looks like: Evaluate customer complaints and determine appropriate responses
  • Reading Comprehensionbasic3.84.0Level 4 looks like: Understand an email from management describing new personnel policies
  • Coordination3.63.3Level 4 looks like: Work with others to put a new roof on a house
  • Instructing3.43.3Level 4 looks like: Instruct a coworker in how to operate a software program
  • Time Management3.43.3Level 4 looks like: Allocate the time of subordinates to projects for the coming week
  • Monitoringbasic3.33.8Level 4 looks like: Monitor a meeting and revise the agenda to ensure important topics are discussed
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Tasks

15 core · 1 supplemental

What people in this occupation do, as O*NET records it, core tasks first by importance (1–5).

  1. Develop and maintain cooperative working relationships with agencies and organizations interested in public health care.4.1
  2. Maintain databases, mailing lists, telephone networks, and other information to facilitate the functioning of health education programs.4.1
  3. Prepare and distribute health education materials, such as reports, bulletins, and visual aids, to address smoking, vaccines, and other public health concerns.4.1
  4. Document activities and record information, such as the numbers of applications completed, presentations conducted, and persons assisted.4.0
  5. Develop and present health education and promotion programs, such as training workshops, conferences, and school or community presentations.4.0
  6. Collaborate with health specialists and civic groups to determine community health needs and the availability of services and to develop goals for meeting needs.3.9
  7. Develop operational plans and policies necessary to achieve health education objectives and services.3.8
  8. Supervise professional and technical staff in implementing health programs, objectives, and goals.3.8
  9. Provide program information to the public by preparing and presenting press releases, conducting media campaigns, or maintaining program-related Web sites.3.8
  10. Develop, conduct, or coordinate health needs assessments and other public health surveys.3.8
  11. Develop and maintain health education libraries to provide resources for staff and community agencies.3.7
  12. Design and conduct evaluations and diagnostic studies to assess the quality and performance of health education programs.3.6
Show the other 4
  1. Develop, prepare, and coordinate grant applications and grant-related activities to obtain funding for health education programs and related work.3.6
  2. Provide guidance to agencies and organizations on assessment of health education needs and on development and delivery of health education programs.3.5
  3. Design and administer training programs for new employees and continuing education for existing employees.3.4
  4. Develop educational materials and programs for community agencies, local government, and state government.3.8

Knowledge

Bodies of knowledge the work draws on.

  • Customer and Personal Service4.66.2Level 7 looks like: Respond to a citizen's request for assistance after a major disaster
  • Education and Training4.55.3Level 4 looks like: Lead a quality improvement seminar
  • English Language4.24.9Level 4 looks like: Edit an article for a news website
  • Administrative4.15.5Level 4 looks like: Type 30 words per minute
  • Mathematics3.64.2Level 4 looks like: Analyze data to determine areas with the highest sales
  • Psychology3.64.9Level 4 looks like: Understand the impact of alcohol on human responses
  • Public Safety and Security3.62.9
  • Sociology and Anthropology3.53.9Level 4 looks like: Write an article about cultural differences
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  • Communications and Media3.43.0Level 4 looks like: Host a music radio show
  • Computers and Electronics3.44.2Level 4 looks like: Use a computer to format a document
  • Medicine and Dentistry3.43.5Level 4 looks like: Fill a tooth cavity
  • Administration and Management3.33.8Level 4 looks like: Monitor progress of a project to ensure timely completion
  • Personnel and Human Resources3.22.7
  • Therapy and Counseling3.23.4Level 4 looks like: Provide job counseling to the unemployed
  • Law and Government2.92.0Level 1 looks like: Describe the length of a U.S. presidential term
  • Philosophy and Theology2.93.6Level 4 looks like: Understand another culture's religious practices
  • Biology2.82.9
  • Telecommunications2.71.0Level 1 looks like: Send an email
  • Transportation2.61.8Level 1 looks like: Ride a train to work
  • Economics and Accounting2.41.7Level 1 looks like: Answer billing questions from credit card customers
  • Sales and Marketing2.42.7
  • Chemistry2.32.3Level 1 looks like: Use a common household bug spray
  • Foreign Language2.31.6Level 1 looks like: Say "please" and "thank you" in a foreign language
  • Engineering and Technology1.61.6Level 1 looks like: Install a door lock
  • Geography1.51.1Level 1 looks like: Know the capital of the United States
  • Physics1.50.8Level 1 looks like: Use a crowbar to pry open a box
  • Design1.41.3Level 1 looks like: Draw a straight line 4 3/16 inches long
  • History and Archeology1.40.8Level 1 looks like: Take a class in US history
  • Production and Processing1.40.7Level 1 looks like: Put a computer back into its packing materials
  • Fine Arts1.2—
  • Food Production1.2—
  • Building and Construction1.1—
  • Mechanical1.1—

Abilities

Enduring capacities the work calls for.

  • Oral Expression4.34.4Level 4 looks like: Give instructions to a lost motorist
  • Oral Comprehension4.04.1Level 4 looks like: Understand a coach's oral instructions for a sport
  • Speech Clarity4.03.9Level 4 looks like: Make stadium-wide announcements during a sporting event
  • Written Comprehension4.04.3Level 4 looks like: Understand an apartment lease
  • Written Expression4.04.3Level 4 looks like: Write a job recommendation for a subordinate
  • Inductive Reasoning3.93.8Level 4 looks like: Determine the prime suspect based on crime scene evidence
  • Problem Sensitivity3.83.4Level 4 looks like: Notice from a subtle difference in a client's mood that something is bothering them
  • Speech Recognition3.83.4Level 4 looks like: Identify a former customer's voice over the phone
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  • Deductive Reasoning3.63.9
  • Near Vision3.63.9
  • Fluency of Ideas3.43.8Level 4 looks like: Think of as many ideas as possible for the name of a new company
  • Originality3.33.4Level 4 looks like: Redesign job tasks to be interesting for employees
  • Information Ordering3.13.0Level 2 looks like: Follow the correct steps to make change
  • Category Flexibility3.03.0Level 3 looks like: Classify flowers according to size, color, and smell
  • Selective Attention3.02.9Level 2 looks like: Answer a business call with coworkers talking nearby
  • Far Vision2.92.9Level 2 looks like: Read a roadside billboard
  • Time Sharing2.62.6Level 3 looks like: Watch street signs while driving at 30 miles an hour
  • Flexibility of Closure2.52.3Level 2 looks like: Detect that your phone is ringing while at a concert
  • Finger Dexterity2.31.9Level 2 looks like: Put coins in a parking meter
  • Number Facility2.32.1Level 3 looks like: Calculate a discounted price
  • Mathematical Reasoning2.12.4Level 1 looks like: Determine how much 20 oranges will cost when they are priced at 5 for 4 dollars
  • Memorization2.12.4Level 1 looks like: Remember the number on your bus to be sure you get back on the right one
  • Perceptual Speed2.12.0Level 2 looks like: Sort mail according to ZIP codes with no time pressure
  • Speed of Closure2.12.1Level 3 looks like: Recognize a song after hearing only the first few notes
  • Visual Color Discrimination2.12.1Level 1 looks like: Separate laundry into colors and whites
  • Visualization2.12.1Level 2 looks like: Imagine how to place paper in a printer so that the letterhead comes out on top
  • Arm-Hand Steadiness2.02.0Level 2 looks like: Light a candle
  • Auditory Attention2.01.8Level 2 looks like: Listen to a lecture while people nearby are talking
  • Control Precision2.01.6Level 2 looks like: Adjust a room light with a dimmer switch
  • Manual Dexterity2.01.8Level 1 looks like: Screw a light bulb into a light socket
  • Multilimb Coordination2.01.9Level 2 looks like: Row a boat
  • Static Strength2.01.4Level 1 looks like: Push an empty shopping cart
  • Hearing Sensitivity1.91.6Level 2 looks like: Notice a doorbell ringing
  • Trunk Strength1.91.1Level 2 looks like: Sit up in an office chair
  • Depth Perception1.80.9
  • Stamina1.60.6Level 1 looks like: Walk 1/4 mile
  • Extent Flexibility1.50.6
  • Dynamic Strength1.40.5
  • Wrist-Finger Speed1.40.5
  • Explosive Strength1.3—
  • Gross Body Coordination1.3—
  • Gross Body Equilibrium1.3—
  • Rate Control1.3—
  • Reaction Time1.3—
  • Response Orientation1.1—
  • Spatial Orientation1.1—
  • Dynamic Flexibility1.0—
  • Glare Sensitivity1.0—
  • Night Vision1.0—
  • Peripheral Vision1.0—
  • Sound Localization1.0—
  • Speed of Limb Movement1.0—

Work activities

Kinds of activity the work is made of.

  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates4.85.4Level 4 looks like: Report the results of a sales meeting to a supervisor
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships4.76.2Level 7 looks like: Gain cooperation from a diverse group of executives with competing interests
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge4.75.7
  • Communicating with People Outside the Organization4.55.7
  • Getting Information4.54.7Level 4 looks like: Review a budget
  • Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others4.55.5Level 4 looks like: Interpret how foreign tax laws apply to U.S. exports
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems4.45.2Level 4 looks like: Select the location for a major retail store
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work4.46.0Level 7 looks like: Prioritize and plan multiple tasks several months ahead
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  • Performing for or Working Directly with the Public4.45.5Level 4 looks like: Sell shoes in a crowded shoe store
  • Scheduling Work and Activities4.45.6
  • Training and Teaching Others4.45.5Level 4 looks like: Teach a social sciences course to high school students
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events4.34.6Level 4 looks like: Judge the suitability of food products for an event
  • Developing and Building Teams4.24.9Level 4 looks like: Lead an assembly team in an automobile plant
  • Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People4.24.8Level 4 looks like: Determine the value of property lost in a fire
  • Working with Computers4.23.9Level 4 looks like: Write software for keeping track of parts in inventory
  • Analyzing Data or Information4.15.5Level 4 looks like: Determine the interest cost to finance a new building
  • Developing Objectives and Strategies4.15.0Level 4 looks like: Develop the plan to complete the merger of two organizations over a 3-year period
  • Documenting/Recording Information4.14.4Level 4 looks like: Document the results of a crime scene investigation
  • Processing Information4.15.3Level 4 looks like: Calculate the adjustments for insurance claims
  • Thinking Creatively4.14.9Level 4 looks like: Adapt popular music for a high school marching band
  • Assisting and Caring for Others4.04.7Level 4 looks like: Help a medical patient find in-home assistance or healthcare
  • Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others3.84.7Level 4 looks like: Get two subordinates to agree about vacation schedules
  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards3.64.5Level 4 looks like: Evaluate a complicated insurance claim for compliance with policy terms
  • Monitoring and Controlling Resources3.64.2Level 4 looks like: Work as a chef responsible for ordering food for the menu
  • Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings3.54.7Level 4 looks like: Test electrical circuits
  • Providing Consultation and Advice to Others3.54.7Level 4 looks like: Recommend a new software package to increase operational efficiency
  • Performing Administrative Activities3.43.3Level 4 looks like: Complete tax forms for a small business
  • Selling or Influencing Others3.44.3Level 4 looks like: Make a sales pitch to convince others to buy a product
  • Coaching and Developing Others3.23.8Level 4 looks like: Provide on-the-job training for administrative workers
  • Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others3.24.2Level 4 looks like: Organize the cleanup crew after a major sporting event
  • Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information3.23.2Level 4 looks like: Estimate the time required to evacuate a city in the event of a major disaster
  • Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates3.03.4Level 4 looks like: Manage a small team of employees in a dynamic workplace
  • Handling and Moving Objects2.73.1Level 4 looks like: Arrange books in a library
  • Performing General Physical Activities2.62.6
  • Controlling Machines and Processes2.52.1Level 1 looks like: Operate a cash register
  • Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials2.42.6
  • Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment2.21.7Level 1 looks like: Drive a car
  • Staffing Organizational Units2.12.0Level 1 looks like: Work in a position that has minimal staffing requirements
  • Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment2.01.7Level 1 looks like: Use display settings to adjust a television picture
  • Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment1.71.4Level 1 looks like: Specify the lighting for a work area
  • Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment1.61.6Level 1 looks like: Make simple, external adjustments to a door hinge with ordinary hand tools

Work context

The conditions most characteristic of the work, on O*NET's 1–5 context scale.

  • E-Mail5.0
  • Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams4.9
  • Telephone Conversations4.8
  • Contact With Others4.7
  • Freedom to Make Decisions4.4
  • Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team4.3
  • Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals4.2
  • Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results4.1
  • Deal With External Customers or the Public in General3.9
  • Indoors, Environmentally Controlled3.9

Technology

23 tools

Software used in this work. In demand: among the tools job postings for this occupation name most. Hot: often named in job postings across the economy.

In demand (4)

  • Microsoft Excelhot
  • Microsoft Office softwarehot
  • Microsoft Outlookhot
  • Microsoft PowerPointhot

Hot (6; 4 more marked hot above)

  • Adobe Photoshop
  • Facebook
  • MEDITECH software
  • Microsoft Access
  • Microsoft Visio
  • Microsoft Word
Other tools (13)
  • Blackbaud The Raiser's Edge
  • Blackboard software
  • Blogging software
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC WONDER
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Epi Info
  • Edpuzzle
  • JamBoard
  • LogMeIn GoToWebinar
  • Mentimeter
  • Microsoft Publisher
  • Padlet
  • Web browser software
  • Wiki software

Related occupations

O*NET's own list of the occupations most related to this one, closest first.

  1. Community Health Workers
  2. Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary
  3. Rehabilitation Counselors
  4. Health Informatics Specialists
  5. Healthcare Social Workers
  6. Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary
  7. Child, Family, and School Social Workers
  8. Dietitians and Nutritionists
  9. Social and Human Service Assistants
  10. Social and Community Service Managers

ESCO equivalents

From the official ESCO–O*NET crosswalk, strongest match first. A broader occupation takes in this one; a narrower one is a part of it.

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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. ESCO occupations and skills are from the European Commission's ESCO classification, and the occupation crosswalk is the official ESCO–O*NET mapping by the ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA. This service uses the ESCO classification of the European Commission. BlissPoint Analytics has modified all or some of this information: skill, task and descriptor ratings are rounded to one decimal, and ESCO occupations show Job Zone and interests copied from a crosswalked O*NET occupation. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.