Career and workforce development

A skilled workforce is key to delivering effective public health services across Canada.

The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) gives practitioners the training they need to make a real difference in the communities they serve. We also work to ensure Canada has enough qualified public health professionals across all jurisdictions—and that those professionals can mobilize at a moment's notice in response to infectious disease outbreaks.

A collaborative approach to public health human resources

Working with a number of partners, PHAC takes a pan-Canadian approach to developing a sustainable, skilled public health workforce. At the heart of our programs are the Core Competencies for Public Health in Canada—the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary for effective public health practice.

They inform everything from training initiatives to the development of post-secondary public health curricula in Canada and the implementation of recruitment and retention strategies.

Plan your career in public health

If you're considering a career in public health, our overview of learning and training opportunities in Canada, including a list of graduate programs offered by Canadian colleges and universities, can help you chart your course to becoming a public health professional.

Develop your organization's workforce

The core competencies for public health inform a number of tools and resources designed to help you plan and manage the workforce within your own public health team or organization. These tools help you identify the skills required to fulfill specific public health functions, recruit and retain skilled workers, develop internal training programs, and ensure consistency in job descriptions and performance assessments.