Hi everyone, I work as a manufacturing technician at a high hazard chemical / textile plant, my department is involved in acetic acid recovery and acetic anhydride manufacture. My company make HSE their top priority (my site has just achieved 5 million working hours without a LTA) and as such I have a lot of experience in 'front-line' health and safety, i.e. carrying out RA's, writing and issuing permits to work, maintaining near miss systems etc. I have completed the Nebosh certificate and I'm half way through the Diploma. Unfortunatly the site is due for closure sometime later this year (provisional date is 30th September), however I hope to use this as an opportunity to develop as a HSE practioner, the trouble is on my CV I have never had a job title which mentions HSE and haven't had much experience in the management side of the job. I'm worried this is going to hold me back. Does anyone have any advice on things I could be doing to help in the coming months. I work shifts and as such get quite a lot of time off in the week which I would like to put to good use. Would anyone know of any work experience opportunities (unpaid) - or would companies be unlikely to do this due to vicarious liability issues? I am based in Derby and would be interested in any opportunities in the East Midlands. Any advice to help me kick start my career would be greatly appreciated. Many thanks, Steve Watson

Thanks for that Bob, going along to the next branch meeting is definatly something I hope to do. I've tried sending open letters to a few of the larger companies in the area, I'll probably intensify this as the deadline approaches! Cheers, Steve

Hi Steve, If you work where I think you work (Spondon)? Then you're going through the same mill I went through a few years ago within the same business. My employer at the time began with a C and operated a major plant in Spondon producing a lot of cellulosic based materials. I worked at the site in Coventry, long since demolished/altered into a business park. Like you, I was heavily involved in H&S without the title and had the certificate under my belt. I took a gamble on H&S as a career and have never looked back. Took me a while to get my foot in the door and I was forced to take temporary jobs for about 18 months to keep the mortgage paid - crisp factory, medical products factory, but eventuallyy I got offered a job as a H&S Officer in a prison. A few job changes down the road and I've carved a decent fresh career for myself. My advice is keep on doing what you're doing. I did some H&S work for free for a couple of local firms just to keep my hand in supporting their H&S people and I maintained a portfolio, keeping evidence of what I'd done in my previous life too. Make sure you get this sort of thing before redundnacy happens and make sure you get permission off your boss before as well of course. I found this to be no problem so long as the material was not commercially sensitive and my boss understood what I was trying to acheive. Complete the diploma and maintain a level of CPD and keep on trying. If you get an interview, practice, practice and practice to make sure you convince them that you know your stuff and use examples. You might have to suffer a drop in salary, but it will recover. Good luck mate!

I got the free work through networking. Fellow redundancee's who worked for new organisations who got my foot through the door, my brother's workplace and through friends. I did try the cold calling but got no-where, I think people get a bit worried about what you might find/say, but if you're known to them there is a feeling of trust. Exploit your network of contacts, it's surprising how many people in different businesses you know when you start to write it all down. Give them a ring and see what happens. Do get the diploma though... it will really strengthen you're employability prospects.

Hi Steve, I was in the same position as you towards the end of 2009. Redundancy was looming and I'd already decided to go for a H&S based role. I bit the bullet and self funded the Construction Cert (which ate my humble savings) but after 25 years on the ground in the Utilites sector tough decisions had to be made. I then found myself unemployed with a Nebosh Construction Cert. Replies to applications were almost non existent, so I bit the bullet again and dipped into my redundancy and did exactly what Bob in the above post advises, I took the Nebosh Environmental Management Cert. This almost certainly helped me get my first position 15 months ago. Massive drop in salary but you have to start somewhere. I start a new job as H&S Manager in 4 weeks and again without the Environmental Cert I know I wouldn't have got it. And my salary will be back up to fighting weight. The company were asking for Nebosh Dip but I belive the Environmental Management Cert was just as attractive to them as they have all three management systems in place. The classroom based Environmental Management Cert cost me £1000 give or take but I'm sure you can now get it far cheaper. In the long term if you persevere and stay focused whatever you pay out you'll get back ten fold. Good luck

What is your current job title? If you want to make the safety bits stick out I would just put them in brackets eg 'Acid Operator (including Health & Safety)' Then anyone skimming job titles will see enough to get them to read the bit about 'job responsibilities'

Thanks Chris, I wasn't aware of that. Hopefully it'll pay for my last module. cheers, Steve