Posted By stuart reynolds hi guys, thought i'd try again. i am in the process of negotiating with my employer to allow me one day per week off (unpaid if necessary) so i can study the nebbosh diploma (which i have also offered to pay for). i am happy to be tied to the company for two/three years as this will provide me with the minimum practical experience required to move on in H & S. my question is - am i being unreasonable in expecting them to allow me the time off and would i be able to get work without the practical experience if i decided to quit and go ahead with the diploma anyway?

Posted By George Wedgwood Lets look at some basics Stuart. If your communications with your managers is right, you will get time off as they will 'buy' your argument. This will be based on your understanding of what their constraints actually are - courses cost money and may not have been budgeted for in the current year. Lost time also has to be made up by someone and one day a week is a loss of 20% man hours spend in improving safety! So how do you do it? Well, you need to sell the benefits of professional membership of IOSH, the benefits to the business of having an in-house professional who can hold his own with qualified peers and be recognised as a competent resource, added value to the business processes where you can directly affect the bottom line by eliminating loss, improving performance and developing managers' behaviour. Also, there is the fact that the company would be 'investing in its people' and developing them publicly. Once you have agreement on the benefits, your manager will ask "how much" and that is where you try and close the deal! Having prepared the case beforehand, you have a range of alternatives for him to consider - course types, course costs, providers and their accreditation, a range of methods to help you be more successful (remember that there is no failure option here) varying from day release, to part day and part evening through to a block-release to make it 'short and sharp'. Remind him that the sooner success comes, the sooner you can deliver! So it's all about how you sell a case to the mostly willing (but sometimes overstressed) manager who wants you to go away and 'do your job'. As far as where you stand is concerned, remember that further education is a trade-off, not a right! You could cite examples of others that have done this sandwich-type education and also remind your manager that a lack of competence may simply backfire on him, making him a target for the enforcer! Don't forget to try and think it through first and plan it carefully - being prepared usually impresses a manager! And remember to check your emails before pressing the send button! Regards, George

Posted By Stephen J W Clegg. I paid for and completed the Certificate and Dip1 in my own time, relying, like John on the goodwill of my colleagues for support in terms of covering my shifts/workload. Work have just funded me to complete Dip2, but again this has been in my own time. If you want it that badly...