According to a recent survey, nine in ten current members are likely or extremely likely to renew their AIHA membership. If you aren’t planning on renewing your membership next year, here are four compelling reasons why you should regardless of career stage or geographic location.

1. Professional Development

Interested in expanding your level of technical knowledge, mastering core competencies, continuing your education, and earning and maintaining certifications? You aren’t alone. Your AIHA membership unlocks discounted rates for countless e-learning courses, OnDemand session recordings, online courses, and webinars on a new, easy-to-navigate learning management system platform.

If you are just starting your career or moving on to the next phase, AIHA’s new job board—created last year in collaboration with YM Careers, a leader in association career resources and events—offers a variety of employment resources, tools, and services for OEHS job seekers and employers around the world.

When it comes to professional development, mentoring is an essential resource for both mentors and mentees alike. This year AIHA upgraded its mentoring platform with streamlined features such as:

• a one-step enrollment process
• algorithm-based matching of mentors and mentees
• accessibility on mobile devices
• calendar syncing, meeting schedules, chat, and video calls

Many participants in AIHA’s Mentoring Program have found it to be among the most valuable benefits of membership. Savannah Jones, an AIHA student member since 2017, says that “AIHA membership allows you to connect with a mentor to help guide you through your career, provides a way to find internships/jobs, and helps you stay connected with other students.”

2. Networking

A huge value of membership is the opportunity to network with peers, colleagues, and industry experts on our online Catalyst community. If your membership expires, you will no longer be able to access this essential member benefit. You can join communities relevant to your interests, post new discussion threads, or make connections with fellow members.

Participation in a volunteer group increases your networking growth and reach. At no additional cost, AIHA members can join more than 50 technical committees and volunteer groups. For Lydia Renton, BSc, CIH, ROH, FAIHA, chair of the International Affairs Committee and recipient of the 2021 Alice Hamilton Award, making new connections is the greatest joy of volunteer work. “When you volunteer, you meet some great people, and it doesn’t feel like work,” Renton says. “Volunteerism is the greatest professional development you can ever get because you meet people you otherwise never would've. And you can do some things that you probably never dreamed of."

3. Resources

If you are accustomed to receiving The Synergist and the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health (JOEH) either in the mail or online, then be prepared to lose access once your membership expires at the end of the year. AIHA’s monthly magazine reports on key issues that are relevant to all members.

Books, reports, and resources on a variety of topics are essential for OEHS professionals. Without your AIHA membership, you will be paying full price rather than the discounted member rate.

4. Reputation

The OEHS profession has been thrust into the limelight during the pandemic response, and AIHA’s reputation has grown tremendously. Among our successes is a recent grant from NIOSH that will fund the creation of a suite of short videos and web-based tools aimed at various types of workers, including video snippets available in multiple languages. Affiliation with AIHA gives you an effective platform for safeguarding workers globally and across all industries.

Renewals have begun for 2022 and we look forward to welcoming you back next year. If you renew before Dec. 31, you will receive the complimentary eBook Essentials of Pandemic Response in January 2022. Also, members who renew and update their member profile before the end of the year will be entered into a prize drawing. To update your profile, log in to your member dashboard and look for “Update Demographics” under your profile information. To ensure you are receiving the communications you need, update your preferences.