Pest control is vital in ensuring public health and safety and also plays a critical role in ensuring food security, livelihoods and economic contribution of agriculture by reducing the risk of disease and pest infestations. In agriculture, pest management is especially important for effective and sustained production, the prevention of damage to crops and livestock and excessive waste of resources. Pest management is the eradication or control of pest species that ensure human, animal and plant health.
Pest management officers work in offices but spend a considerable amount of time inspecting pest sites such as homes, factories, farms and warehouses, for example. They can be exposed to areas that may be contaminated and potentially dangerous and are required to wear protective clothing and equipment.
Pest management officers must have a comprehensive knowledge of pest varieties and associated elimination techniques and an understanding of public health and safety regulations and procedures, along with:
Inspect for the presence of pest and vulnerabilities to infestation
Select, recommend and motivate appropriate pest control procedures
Apply and implement pest control procedures
Monitor, measure and record the success of control procedures
B.Sc., B.Sc. (Hons), M.Sc. in Environmental Health at NMU, UJ and UP
Diploma, Advanced Diploma, M.Tech in Environmental Health at CPUT, CUT, MUT and TUT
Pest management officers can also benefit from a Further Education and Training Certificate in Pest Control Operations at National Qualifications Framework Level 4 offered at Pest Control Industries Training Academy and Pest Management Academy. Training could also take place on the job with an experienced mentor.
National, provincial and local government in agriculture and public health and safety.
Pest elimination companies
