Eddy Semayobe is an alumni of MSc Environmental Health, having graduated in 2023. Since then, Eddy has had a few jobs within the industry and now works as an Environmental Health Officer at East Suffolk Council. In this blog, he explains what the job involves and reflects on his positive Leeds Beckett experience.

Course: MSc Environmental Health

Tell us a bit about yourself and what you’ve been doing since you graduated?

After completing my MSc at the end of 2022, I secured a six-month voluntary placement at Selby District Council. Shadowing the Senior Environmental Health Officers was an incredible experience that provided me with vital insight into the profession. 

In February 2023, I began working as a Graduate Environmental Health Practitioner (Auditor) for Shield, a Manchester-based company, where I was allocated to cover the Norfolk and Suffolk regions. In this role, I audited food businesses in areas of food safety, and health & safety for the company’s partners, that ranged from retail such as Tesco supermarkets to hospitality including, major hotel brands, restaurants and holiday parks. The company takes pride in hiring the largest team of Environmental Health Practitioners (EHP) in the UK, so I had the opportunity to work alongside individuals who were more experienced than I was. 

What I enjoyed most about this job was the opportunity to meet new people and travel to other regions of the UK, including Scotland and Wales. While at this company, I enrolled on the 12 months Chartered Institute of Environmental Health's Pathway Portfolio course to become a Registered EHP.

Tell us a bit more about your current role and why it’s amazing. 

Because of my drive for growth and desire to work for the local authority, I was successfully interviewed for the position of Environmental Health Officer (EHO) at East Suffolk Council, which I began in July 2024. Based in the food safety team, my role is all about protecting public health through proactive and reactive regulatory interventions. 

As an EHO, I undertake food safety and hygiene inspections, food complaints, investigate infectious diseases, approve export certificates, and perform other public health & safety interventions. Every day is unique, as I may be performing a routine inspection of an existing business, visiting a new business to advise them on what they need to do to comply with the food law, or investigating a workplace accident. 

I enjoy the range of tasks, particularly the ability to organise my calendar while prioritising work based on public health risk. I am passionate about assisting food establishments improve their processes, and nothing pleases me more than seeing a business operator take action as a result of our intervention.

Since I joined East Suffolk Council, my senior colleagues and the management team have been supportive. They provided guidance and allowed me time to focus on my reading, and in October 2024, I passed my 13-report EHP CIEH portfolio with a distinction. I am currently a full Member of the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (MCIEH) and an Associate member of the Faculty of Public Health (FPH). I still get time for my family and do participate in my hobbies such as playing football and piano.

How did your course at Leeds Beckett help you get to where you are today?

My course covered all the core areas of environmental health, namely food safety, environmental protection, housing & communities, health & safety, and public health. Certainly, this gave me a lot of options to choose from. In addition, upon completion of my exams in the above modules, I passed the CIEH accredited Practical Food Inspection and Identification examination, as a top up. This was a practical hands-on course covering red meat, poultry, game, fish, shellfish, nuts, pulses fruits and vegetables. It provided me with knowledge in assessing if food is fit for human consumption, identifying associated hazards, implications, controls, and appropriate legislative interventions. Ultimately, this influenced my direction and focus on food safety. 

At the end of the exam, I recall talking with my course director about work options, and she was happy to recommend to me a couple of companies willing to hire recent graduates. This is how I landed my first graduate job having successfully interviewed for one of the companies. 

What support or opportunities did you receive at Leeds Beckett that have helped shaped your career?

I had very good support from my lecturers especially the course coordinator, Patricia Reed, who was approachable and always willing to provide guidance. During my time at university, I met a few students and we formed a study group, and this helped us understand a variety of topics outside of the lectures.

What would you say to someone considering studying your course?

There are a lot of environmental health opportunities in both the private and public sectors. If you want to prepare, take time and consult with those who have done the course before. The MSc Environmental Health course at Leeds Beckett is accredited by the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health. I met students who joined as apprentices and others from different career backgrounds. 

What’s next for you?

I am currently focusing on my local authority role, as I continue to do more CPDs on-the-job, at Food Standards Agency, CIEH, FPH, and from other providers. In the future, I may consider pursuing a PhD in public health (epidemiology).