Posted By Veronica Napier
The post will be long but wanted to share my story with you - especially those who are finding it hard to get their big break in HSE!

Got a great Xmas pressie my first H&S job after
3 years of trying! Since taking redundancy last May I hadn't been able to get permanent work so
temped doing reception and admin work for £6 an hour to bring the pennies in - very basic stuff
for someone who had a well paid insurance job and
many years experience. Whilst doing this I kept
up my search for my entry into HSE (have NEBOSH Cert and knowledge but no experience - you will know the catch 22!)
In Dec I applied for 3 HSE jobs - 1 with NHS an admin type role, one for HSE data management at a dockyard (temp though) and HSE administrator with a large Facilities Management Co. Couldn't beleive there was 3 roles I could go for! I live in Scotland and these roles are few and far between or very low paid.
Anyway, dockyard job through agency and although assured I was suitable for job they never got back to me, NHS role took ages to send application to me and in the meantime I was interviewed for FM role and got the job the next day. A week later got the NHS application! I didn't complete it.
I started my new job on 4th Jan. Sods law however as I moved from Glasgow to Rosyth in October as was working from home and boyfriend wanted to move back to the Kingdom. New job in Glasgow - aaaaah! Next door to my old work too!
Despite travel pains to get there I am over the moon as it is very well paid for an admin role (£18k) in Scotland and I will be undertaking further training to get to GradIOSH.
Next step would be NEBOSH Dip or NVQ4 as I have the Gen Cert, however as we know the Dip is costly and takes a long time. Strathclyde Uni have a 2 day CPD bridging course "Cert of PDP in Essentials of Safety & Risk Managment" giving most people the chance to move onto a Postgraduate "Cert of Safety & Risk Management". running for a year I think. This course meants the requirements of IOSH to obtain GradIOSH - just the same as the NEBOSH Dip. I am going for this option and I am so lucky my Manager wants me to do it and the company will sponsor me! After 3 years experience hopefully I can try for MIOSH...
My role is not just admin as I will be trained to take over some of my managers (Safety & Compliance Manager)duties, training, risk assessments, site inspections etc. Also will be involved in quality and auditing.
This really is my dream role and it just shows that if you keep at it something will come your way. If you are really serious about H&S as I proved to my new employer then I am sure the right job will come your way.
Please don't give up hope I nearly did but was determined to go for it. I worked in jobs that were low paid and not stimulating whilst trying to get an HSE role. I got there in the end!
Be good to hear other peoples stories.

Posted By Allan Petrie
Hi Veronica,

glad to hear that you have got a H&S position. I am in a similar position to yours. I am currently trying to get into H&S after getting my NEBOSH certificate last year. I started the SCOSH postgrad certificate last year, and finding it very interesting. Also finding it hard work as not involved in H&S at the moment. I am also in Scotland (Aberdeen) and find H&S jobs few and far between and also in the catch 22 situation.
If nothing else, after reading your posting, it's given me some hope that it is possible to change and hopefully I'll soon break into H&S.
Cheers

Allan

Posted By Alison Melrose
Well done Veronica!!

I was once in a similar position as yourself but it was Ergonomics rather than H&S. There were entrance level jobs down south but the wages were so low that I couldn't afford to live there!

I sent letters, phoned companies and eventually got my break doing a bit of consultancy work for an occupational hygiene company. That let to a further contract with a company they knew..then eventually I got a full time position with a research and consultancy company based in Edinburgh!!

I'm now broadening my sphere of work into H&S having completed the PG Certificate course at Strathclyde (graduated in November there) so if you'd like to know what I thought of the course then feel free to contact me.

Good luck in Weegieland!!

Posted By Dave Wilson
Nice one always puts a smile on my face, fandabbydozy!

Posted By Alison Melrose
Andrew - have contacted you direct.