November 16, 2005—Students from across the country attending the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) 2005 National Future Safety Leaders Conference in Cleveland, Ohio Nov. 3-5 listed a lack of a safety culture, the aging workforce, health care costs, keeping up with technology, apathy and lack of adequate research as some of the top safety, health and environmental (SH&E) issues facing businesses today.
A total of 110 invited ASSE student members participated in the conference, sponsored by the ASSE Foundation with support from Liberty Mutual Group, which provided classes and breakout sessions as well as key speakers with a focus on learning essential leadership and career development skills while interacting with their peers.
In an unscientific poll of attendees, students listed their greatest challenges as they take their first SH&E job as gaining respect of the line workers as well as upper management, gaining credibility in the workforce, applying education to the real world, being recognized as an integral part of the team, gaining funding for research projects and helping management and employees understand how SH&E is an integral part of the business goals.
The students, even those who have a job and an internship lined up, were pleased with the conference as a way to learn more from SH&E professionals as to what lies ahead in the field once they graduate with a degree in occupational safety, health and the environment.
For more information, please visit the ASSE Web site.
