(FNC) Job Market Lesson

Job Market

image of silhouettes of people captioned job searchThe job market is a concept demonstrating the competition between different labor forces. The outlook for job growth in the healthcare industry is strong thanks to the demand an aging baby boomer population will continue to put on the medical and social service sectors of the economy.  An aging population will increase the need for dietitians and nutritionists in nursing homes. Also, there is a growing demand for nutritionists and dietitians since more than one-third of US adults are obese. There will also be a demand for dietitians in grocery stores to help consumers make healthy food choices.

Jobs for dietitians and nutritionists are expected to increase 16 percent through 2024.

The demand for nutritionists and dietitians can vary from city to city, state to state and region to region.  

Local Level

Local public health departments hire dietitians and nutritionists to conduct nutritional evaluations, develop diet plans and provide computer nutrition education through classes and workshops. Opportunities are available to work with low income groups through government based food programs such as WIC and food stamp education and promotion.  Nutrition jobs also exist within the school systems. Dietitians and nutritionists can be hired to oversee food service and nutrition programming for schools. Duties may include planning school meals and educating students and parents about nutrition and food.

State Level

Dietitians and nutritionists are hired at the state level to oversee the nutrition-related work conducted at the local health departments. Nutrition jobs at the state level involve administrative duties. At this level, you initiate nutrition and food projects and programs to be adopted and implemented at the local health departments. You may be required to seek federal funding for projects and manage grant projects for the state. Individuals work closely with state government officials and school systems and oversee governmental based food programs. Some duties include communicating with and providing guidance for local nutrition professionals, conducting training for local health departments, assisting with evaluation of nutrition projects throughout the state and collecting state data for health-related statistics. In addition, you may attend meetings with partners, get involved with publishing policy as it relates to food and nutrition and attend regional and national conferences.

Regional Level

Federal nutrition jobs are administrative in nature and are similar to state nutrition jobs, but at a higher level. These jobs can be found within the National Institutes of Health and the United States Department of Agriculture.  Duties can include administering grants, overseeing the regional operations of health departments and cooperative extension programming, conducting research, advocating nutrition and food policy, and working closely with government officials.

What kind of institutions hire nutritionists?

  • Hospitals
  • Public Health Clinics
  • Home Health Agencies
  • Food Manufacturers
  • Cafeterias
  • Nursing Homes
  • Schools

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