Posted By Lee Wilson Hello All, I work for a large engineering firm that employ's 2600 people; i started looking after H & S in my local area in 1992 and in 2002 took on the full time roll of H & S Engineer. I have taken NVQ level 3 & NVQ level 4 qualifications, & have been on several IOSH courses,i also have MIOSH membership. I have now been made up to Senior, but i'm sad to say, my pay is still the same, so i need to move on to better myself. My question is this, do you think that NVQ qualifications are as good as NEBOSH qualifications in employer’s eyes, and what qualifications do you think i should get next, to help me move on in my career. Lee

Posted By Ian Mitchell Hi Andy, That is quite controversial (but I am sure you are aware of that and fully prepared for the debate!). It is all relative, s/m/e's and low risk environments do not need CMIOSH level officers. Totally agree that med/high risk and large enterprises should be asking (and yes, about time too!), but without the positions for techIOSH/MIOSH etc how can people become experienced. Sure, they could study to the highest level possible, but then they would get turned down flat on the grounds of nil experience!! If joe bloggs ltd started asking for CMIOSH it would freeze many able practitioners out. I would like to think I am a very capable techIOSH safety advisor. I am professionally ethical and, to quote the IIRSM code of ethics (I am also AIIRSM), 'would not advise on, or undertake, tasks ...... in areas where I could not practice in a competent and diligent manner'. To follow on, I would not apply to be a lead safety advisor in the nuclear sector at this stage in my career, and would expect such aplicants to be filtered out in the application process. Cheers for the honesty though, Ian M

Posted By Ian Mitchell Hi Andy, Sorry mate, too close to clock-off for a debate now! I think what you are trying to say is that employers are starting to take the H+S role seriously as an integrated part of management and are looking for a better standard of officer? Anybody can pass safety exams with enough revision etc, but you have to prove real world competence to become CMIOSH. (I will one day, not even 30 yet!). So, rather than just ask for a level of certification, why not ask for a level of professional attainment? Guess it's time to get my CPD rolling..... Bye, Ian

Posted By Descarte "Anybody can pass safety exams with enough revision etc, but you have to prove real world competence to become CMIOSH" Are you not forgetting all those who had passed exams before the cut off date last september (?) and were fortunate enough to be upgraded from MIOSH to CMIOSH with just their Dip 2's before the new requirements and cpd started ? Strange how a year can make the difference between being classified as a grad IOSH which sounds unqualified and a real world competant CMIOS and have exactly the same qualifications. The CMIOSH just passed their exams a year earlier, now the lowly Grad IOSH has 2 years of CPD to do. Sorry if I have the story slightly wrong here but I gave up caring about the membership requirements and cpd stuff after I found that I couldn't qualify for CMIOS because I wouldn't pass ym Dip 2 till the following January and then only be a Grad IOSH coz of 3 months. Though I do still find these public forums a useful source of info, and having gained my new and very rewarding first managerial position its nice to see employers can still look at knowledge and experience above letters, of which there are many to choose from. Wednesday rant over