On Thursday July 26th, Global Washington hosted a Global Worker Series event on Global Health at iLeap. Speakers from PATH and I-TECH came to discuss hiring processes in the field and gave advice to those looking to go into global health work.
PATH is an international organization based in Seattle that, “transforms global health through innovation.” With more than 1,000 employees worldwide, they have diverse opportunities for employees within their organization. They have a very human as well as global impact as, for example, they bring vaccines more quickly and more cheaply to the developing world, partner with similar organizations to work toward common goals, and cross-cut solutions between health and socio-economic conditions to create lasting change.
Richard Wilkinson, HR Director for the International Training and Education Center for Health (I-TECH), shared with us his personal experience getting a position in the Global Health field when he transitioned to a new career in his fifties. He encouraged those looking into careers in global health to aim for the “sweet spot” of what you love, what you’re great at, and what needs doing before looking for a unique position in the field. He shared that global health needs workers that have two-fold skills: they have technical understanding of the socio-environmental determinacy of health as well as the interpersonal skills to work in a field where you cannot accomplish your goals on your own.
Jenna Herron, Recruiting Director for HR at PATH, and SaraBeth Ross, Global Recruiting Coordinator at PATH, both shared their personal experience of finding a position at PATH and gave insights on how PATH finds their employees. They look for applicants with easily transferrable skills, and those who have field experience along with skilled experience.
All of the speakers encouraged those seeking careers in global health to make connections and network as much as possible. As Jenna advised, the path to a career in global health can be a “hop, skip, and a jump” away through other positions and fields as you make connections. PATH hosts a Community Coffee Quarterly that all recruiters attend, which could be a great place to network and learn more about the field of global health. (The next event is on August 30th at 8am.)
Global Washington’s Careers in Global Development Center on our website offers opportunities for job seekers to find the best position in the global development sector, available from Washington State. Whether it’s a paid position, internship, or training opportunity that you’re looking for, the Careers in Global Development Center is an open resource to help you find it. Please visit us at: https://globalwa.org/resources/careers-in-development/