Does anyone remember doing the original NEBOSH Diploma in the early 1990s? Two weeks I think it was. How did they compress all that learning into a fortnight or, conversely I suppose, how has it expanded into the two or three years it is now? Often wondered?

Are you confusing it with the Certificate? That was two weeks. Our local provider did revision days for each of the modules, so that would be five days just doing revision. I well remember meeting someone at a revision day of the law module who had failed it five times already.

As I said - I was only doing Cert in 90s - didn't bother with Dip till the next century. I can't imagine the Dip I did was doable in 2 weeks unless you were a skilled and experienced H&S Officer (which I wasn't) - but I started the Dip when it had just gone to a single product, originally planned as a level 4 (A level equiv I think) but turned into a level 6 (Degree level) - not what I expected and struggled for it. Before that the Dip had been in 2 parts - creatively referred to as part 1 and part 2 - could part 1 have been completed intensively in just 2 weeks?

NEE', I did Cert in 1993: 2 weeks Received Dip in 1997 after two years hard labour!

I think I probably did mine in the same leafy-sounding centre in Warwickshire as Onions did... I have my nice blue A4 files in the loft I think - I'll have a look for them! This was in the late 1980s. Cert was 2 weeks definitely. Diploma was at two levels - Can't recall what the first one was called but the second level was called "Higher" and it wasn't necessary to get this in order to qualify for what was then MIOSH if I remember rightly, so most people didn't bother with it Wasn't there a "Conversion course" run by the centre in between the Cert and the Diploma to get you in a suitable academic frame of mind? I'm sure I recall doing one. Diploma did still have 5 papers I think and I would have said it was more than two weeks. Are you sure it wasn't 2 x 2 weeks? I do recall also having a revision week which backed onto the exams themselves. I'm sure this all seems very easy compared with what people go through now but I recall working pretty hard for mine and I was only a few years out of Uni and so still in a "studying" frame of mind.

The leafy centre sounds like Ashorne Hill, Leamington. Set up by British Steel and still operated by Corus

Part 1 of the old dip could be done in two weeks

I did my part 1 and it certainly took a lot longer than 2 weeks. I never went on to do the part 2 but eventually did the new level 6 Diploma.

Started my Diploma late 80,s early 90's when there were no part 1 and 2 just a single set of papers, which were Safety Management, Occupational Health, Law and an in depth Case Study if I remember correctly. Passed the Safety management paper but had then to take a break after that. I studied with one of the well known distance learning providers. Don't remember anyone offering a two week intense course, most people seamed to take day release for at least 1 year. There was a big failure rate at the time. I seen to recall that at that time the British Safety council offered a diploma that was 2 weeks study and was a multy choice exam at the end. This was before the course levels were harmonised.

I did an intense NEBOSH Diploma course in 1993 with AMT. This I remember was undertaken in a hotel setting. It was five weeks over three months plus 4 x 3 hour exams and the 2 hour Case Study. I remember in those days the law paper only had a 23% pass rate.

At about this time I was lecturing at Manchester College of Arts & Technology (MANCAT) on two of the Modules, i.e. Safety Technology & Case Study. Safety Technology was taught every Monday afternoon for a full academic year & the Case Study on 6 Saturday mornings. I can't really see how all the Modules (+ revision days) could have been condensed into two weeks! Zyggy

Yeah, you're right matey. It might have been another course from my distant past. Some of them lads are still kicking aroond

Good Grief the old memory cells have just been kicked into action! Woodland Grange in the early '80s for the 'ordinary' certificate, the in the mid / late '80s for what was supposed to be the 'higher certificate' but was awarded as the 'Diploma' - then brand spanking new. I'd need to check the vellum parchment, but I think it was '87. Winner of the MMI trophy for 'best performance in the national exams' - the carriage clock is still on my mantle shelf. Five exams as previously identified, from memory it was three weeks very intensive study, followed by a week 'revision' and exams... Some of the tutors from there are still around in various roles in the industry - and several of the students from my class still post on here occasionally. The swimming pool was always empty when I was there - but it always seemed to be raining except during late night staggers back from the grab-a-granny disco up the road. And the evening when the hotel kitchen caught fire - I evacuated (from my rooom) and watched everyone else from the course being chivvied out of the bar by the hotel manager. The learning has served me in good stead - especially the oft-repeated phrase so the effect ' we don't educate you to pass exams - we train you to learn how to be a safety officer" Chris Gilbertson, Ed Hall, and others - good education and good memories..

You need to go back and visit...its like a plush hotel - hot tubs, gym, ensuite rooms oh and the training is still pretty exceptional too! They have ahuge client base from Landrover Jaguar so parking amongst the big cars is a challenge. Not many of the original team left. I taught on the old diploma with the EEF in the late 80s and it was 6 weeks over 6 months - darby has got it - cert has always been 2 weeks. Indeed happy days!! Life was so much simpler then - paid your IOSH membership - got your badge job done!!! LOL

Sounds like the same one I did Steve, can't recall exactly which year but late 80s before the exam structure changed again. I certainly remember those tutors' names!