Posted By Neville Costain Hi All, I am currently working in a non-safety post within a Local Authority in the North-West. I am qualified with Nottingham Trent Diploma in Occupational Safety, Health and Environmental Management, and I have over ten years experience as an unpaid Health & Safety Officer with a trade union, in which I have been accepted as an equal by other safety officers within the local authority in terms of knowledge, experience, etc. Frustration levels are now reaching peak level, and I feel the need to spread my wings. I am registered with many agencies, but don't really get much feed back from them. I need to get on that first rung of the health & safety ladder. I am considering consultancy work, but feel a bit anxious. I am also humble enough to consider starting right at the very bottom in a trainee post. Does anybody have any work offers, ideas, or general help in how I can achieve this??? Thanks for looking...

Posted By Ian G Hutchings Neville Have emailed you direct. Don't worry about comments about consultancy. Good reputable companies treat their staff well and consultancy can be a very rewarding career choice. Best regards Ian

Posted By Elizabeth Reeves If you give me your email I will contact you direct. I agree that if you work for a consultancy you do need to find the right one. The right company will value your efforts, support your training and CPD needs and reward you with an excellent package. If your not prepared to work hard, travel and meet a variety of challenges then its definitely not the game for you. My career in health and safety started by being internal health and safety manger in heavy industry, then for a charity and then as an enforcement officer. I'm now a consultant and would never want to go back to any other role.

Posted By DRB It may be your trade union background that is putting employers off. I've come across a few TU reps who did themselves no favours by suggesting that everything was reasonably practicable and price never came into it if its for "elf and safety". They struggled to see managements point of view. I'm not saying that they are all like this, nor am I suggesting that your like this. I'm simply stating what I have come across. Equally I have interviewed ex HSE for in-house roles and found that many of them didn't have the interpersonal skills to deal with reluctant managers. One even told me that he would point them in the direction of the law and if they still wouldn't do what he asked he would phone his ex-colleagues. You won't be surprised to learn that he didn't get the job! Try and gain experience working on the management side of things. Be flexible and apply for all level of posts. Once you have that experience under your belt your TU experience will become an attraction as you will be able to empathise with the guys on the "shop floor". Good luck

Posted By steven bentham Neville Why not try out a different industry. Spreading your wings to the construction industry' would allow you to get out and get plent of 'hands on stuff'. Your TU experience might put some off, but you should rebadge your CV (putting this in the dealing with people box). It might be worth checking your CV is a good format anyway. Qualification + hands-on + dealing with people stuff: sounds like a positive move to me Good luck