Posted By Neil Vinall
After running my own customer service business for 15 years, I worked for a housing association in various roles for 5 years, I gained the position of the Health and Safety officer for the London based housing association. They wanted someone who knew what it was like to work "on the coal face", someone they could nurture, and who cold become qualified and grow into the job under the mentorship of the company secretary and the Group Health and Safety advisor. It was on the understanding that I worked towards my NEBOSH certificate in occupational safety and health, together with other appropriate qualifications, which I managed to achieve. I was responsible for 70 supported housing schemes, several offices and a couple of thousand social housing properties.
Unfortunately both my mentors moved on, and I was effectively left to my own devices, with a whole long line of very uncommunicative relief group Health and Safety "managers" in the background. After 17 months in the role, I was made redundant, and my dept. was disbanded in a "restructuring". I was given another role back in the schemes, but, Pandoras box had been opened, and I felt uncomfortable in the new role which I left after 6 months, managing to leave with my redundancy intact.
I have now been unemployed for 5 months. I don't seem to be-able to get interviews for Health and Safety jobs, as I do not have a diploma, and I only have 17 months experience. I am frustrated that I have to turn my back on a job that I qualified for, and loved for the time I was doing it. I need a junior role, but I just haven't seen these advertised. I am 41 years old and live in Kent. Any suggesions about a way forward?

Posted By Ian G Hutchings
Neil

From your post it sounds like you have a great deal of valuable experience. What you obviously need is someone who is prepared to give you a chance. I still see many jobs that do seem to ask for certificate plus experience, which is what you have to a degree.

Sometimes it can be down to how you word your CV and draw on your skills. I am happy to advise if you want to email me your CV via my name link.

All the best

Ian

Posted By rsellars
I know how you feel I've been trying for 18months now over 100 applications sent not one interview all my h&s is self funded but I'm about to give up on it it appears to be a diploma or they aren't interested experience in a particular field doesn't count. I get the feeling the majority of jobs are a box ticking exercise. I know where I work as a team leader h&s is treated as a joke I used to go to the h&s meetings but have given up on that as that's just a box ticking exercise.
I've tried everything to get my foot in the door but as i said no diploma then you dont even get considered.