About 2 weeks ago I posted a thread entitled "Associate work, interim position etc". There have been approx 112 viewings but nobody has contacted me. I wonder where I might have gone wrong? I realise there will be numerous other forum users in similar circumstances. I would therefore like to promote discussion for our mutual benefit please. First of all a few facts about me, for ease of reference and to save going to my original thread: * Located in NW England * Working on a freelance basis * OSHCR registered consultant * Experience includes construction, healthcare, facilities/estates management, social housing and public sector * Experienced H&S trainer with FE teacher's certificate * Flexible and prepared to consider all offers. Ideas that have occured include the current economic climate and perhaps whether this is the wrong forum to inidicate my availability. I have considerable experience managing H&S on construction projects, so perhaps I might try and qualify as CDM-C. Any other suggestions please. I realise some people might prefer not to express their views on a public website. Anybody who prefers to contact me privately is welcome to do so. My email is edblanchard05@yahoo.co.uk and my mobile is 07984088625. Many thanks for reading this thread and I look forward to hearing your views.

Harvey, I am new to My IOSH, while I can answer one of Ed's questions, being why does he get no replies, in as much as these days there are so many applicants, advertisers do not have the decency to reply, I have had the same problem and was prompted to go through my CV and applications over and over thinking that it was my fault. You seem to indicate some disatisfaction with this site which concerns me in as much as I understood that this was a very active site please tell me more

HarveyH appears to imply that ex-Communications Director of IOSH, Ruth Doyle was ( she has moved on!) solely responsible for being more robust in implementing the policy that IOSH Careers Forum does not allow postings by prospective employers. http://www.iosh.co.uk/ne...ewell_to_ruth_doyle.aspx We have been through this over and over several times and the issues is to do with the commercial arm, IOSH Services is subsidising IOSH, the Charity. Specifically, the contribution / saving with the SHP being published by UBM with IOSH having its representation on the SHP Editorial Board and the revenue UMB gets through job advertisements. If you look at the latest annual report, the membership fee is being subsidised to the tune of £ 73.03 per member or £ 2,731,000=00 in total. Obviously, not all of it is from the commercial agreement between IOSH & UBM for SHP, but there would be significant costs in trying to publish our own journal/magazine. Even IIRSM has a tie-up with HSW. IOSH has its Board of Trustees and the IOSH Council that looks after the overall interest of IOSH, and primarily its membership and I have faith in both that after looking at the hard figures, they have taken the right decisions. If we have doubts even after looking at the figures, the way forward is via the IOSH council and speaking with you representative, i.e. the Council member your branch has supported.

Our company always looks at this site when recruiting. Why not? Its free and we have always had good responses. Its probably that there aren't that many vacancies at present. If people don't continue to use this forum for recruitment purposes then the loss of this facility will be a blow to a lot of job seekers.

Edward Dont give up try here http://hsejobs.proboards.com and of course SHP online. The Job centre online has a reasonable amount of work on it.

Ed I think employers who regularly look for H&S people may look here, but does the average company think to look. I know the company I used to work for did not. I'm unemployed at the moment, so have taken quite an interest on the thoughts and opinions in this discussion forum. I initially thought of becoming a consultant, but this does not seem a good time to do so. I considered the Salford Quays seminar, but was uncertain what you can be told in a few hours. I decided against it in the end as I'm from South Wales. I didn't mind driving to Manchester, but did it have to be the middle of Manchester ?, and finishing at rush hour. I tried to talk to someone at IOSH, to see if it was to be run in a location closer to me, but alas no call back. I would be interested in your views on the seminar though.

No Ed it wasn't a job offer. It made a number of personal comments about a former member of the IOSH staff and blamed her for everything that's wrong with this forum. Not intending to re-open that debate but just to set Ed's mind at rest that he didn't miss that golden opportunity!

Thanks for the feed back, it sounds like it was worth the travelling and potential traffic issues. I hope it has generated all the ideas of where to go next, which your original post was looking for. I asked at the NEC expo if it was to be run again and was told it was most likely, sometime later in the year at a different location. So I guess I will keep an eye out for it. Perhaps IOSH would like to print the main parts of each presentation on the web and a FAQ's section, to help its members and cut down on the overall carbon footprint.

I decided to explore the possibility of becoming a CDM-C. I duly completed and submitted the form for full membership and successfully claimed 25 credit points (minimum of 18 required) based on my qualifications and expereience. But then I hit a snag, there has to be a minimum of 2 points for "construction" qualifications (as distinct from H&S). I have managed to gain 1 point for a scaffold inspection course, but nothing else. Looking at the APS credit tables - Appendix 3 - the NEBOSH construction certificate justifies 3 points in the construction section of the credits table. I took the 1990s' modular diploma exams and didn't bother to sit the construction cert. I seem to recall that we were told that most of the construction cert syllabus was covered by the safety tech module. Does any other forum user have a similar recollection please? Has anybody overcome a similar prob with APS? Alternatively any other bright ideas will be most welcome please. I have the feeling of being so near, yet so far away. Many thanks in anticipation.

Thanks Linda for your advice. I've explored the option of taking the construction exam. I felt confident that I've got sufficient knowledge and expereince to go as an external candidate, i.e. without attending a course. I approached NEBOSH and the only way I could do it, would be to take the NGC exams as well (I passed the NGC in 1994 and it's well over their 5 year dispensation period). I'm not pursuing this because the end result is only to achieve one crdit point with APS. I'm attempting to obtain proof that the Safety Tech module encompassed much of the construction cert syllabus. The Trent Valley Branch BEDA used to be the head of H&S training at the college where I studied for my diploma, so I've sent him an email in case he can help. Otherwise I'll just have to negotiate with APS to try and find a solution.

Many thanks for your advice - Annette. I'll most certainly follow up. On the question of CDM-C and APS I have the following to report. My former college lecturer confirmed that the safety tech module covered most of the construction cert syllabus, but obviously at diploma level. (I would like to thank him through this forum.) I would have hoped that would have been sufficient for APS, but it isn't!! It's not covered on their list. They want me to go for the construction cert and all that that entails - just for one credit point in the relevant part of their proforma. I already have an excess of credit points elsewhere on their form. So I'm afraid diverting to CDM-C work is no longer an option for me. On the positive side I can report some interest from propective employers arising from my original thread. Postings on this forum do still work, but no longer in the "fast lane" of a few years ago.

The APS of recent times dont appear to want safety people they want knowledgeable construction professionals with a safety qualification for their CDMC register. They do have a Construction Safety Register which may be more applicable.

An iteresting and very informative view. Many thanks for that gem, I never considered that fact.

Thank you everybody for your responses - particularly the last response by RayRapp. I've just heard from the APS, my application has been considered by their membership committee. They are unwilling to budge on the issue of an additional point under their construction section - even though I have additonal points, surplus elsewhere on their application. They have suggested that I could apply for full membership via their "experienced route". It seems to have some merit although rather expensive in the current economic climate. I wonder whether any other forum user has gone down this route? All/any comments will be appreciated please.

In this thread I've raised several issues including the possibility of diversifying to CDM-C work. I hit problems there with the APS as I needed a minimum of 2 points in their "construction" section and could only gain "1". I considered the possibility of the Construction Cert as it is worth 3 points in the APS construction section. I decided against it for reasons already discussed in earlier responses. I have been in recent contact with APS and they are now prepared to accept "IOSH Managing Safely in Construction" certificate as being worth 2 points in the construction section. This could well prove to be the answer I am seeking. I should have little trouble in passing the appropriate tests without going through the full 4 day course. I am not sure, however, whether IOSH course providers accept "external" candidates. I wonder whether there might be something in the IOSH licences that allow or prohibit this. Any thoughts will be appreciated please.

quote=JJ Prendergast]Easy You don't need to be a member of APS to work as a CDM-C. So don't bother with it I'm not and I undertake CDM-C work, Why are safety people so hung up on being members of such organisations