Most HR recruitment people don't have a clue what they are asking for! They cut and paste from previous adverts and JDs. I have seen hundreds of ads that ask for NEBOSH qualified - not indication of cert or diploma. I did the Open College diploma ten years ago (so at exactly the same level of education as the NEBOSH diploma) and then a BSc in OSH, and still get asked if I am NEBOSH qualified!! Assume they are too thick to understand!

Yes this is correct From September 2015 the level 6 will replace level 5. I asked the question whether or not the level 5 would continue to be seen as on par with the NEBOSH Diploma for those of us who already hold this. Its like when the new GCSE replaced O levels, this didn't just stop being

Psycho Not sure that be able to wear robes and a mortarboard is much of a skill set for a competent health and safety professional. One route to Grad IOSH is the ability to pass exams and write NEBOSH speak; the other shows that you are doing what is needed. IOSH treats each route as equivalent.

Hear, hear Peter! Ballyclover, IMO, even though the job adverts state NEBOSH, the most significant factor is the relevant experience that you have which will get you that position. Your current level of qualification puts you firmly on the path to CMIOSH, why waste several thousand pounds for an EQUIVALENT qualification? For what it's worth, in my experience of working with / employing people who have taken both routes, those new into the profession who have taken the NVQ route arrive better equipped into the workplace with hands on experience than someone who has recently done their NEBOSH Diploma. However, everyone gets there in the end if they want to!

Well that quickly degenerated into an inevitable mines bigger than yours. OP: Julian has it in #2 I am chartered and evidently missed a job in the sift because I had not included my NCG in the cv qualification list. Even though it clearly stated I was a Nebosh NGC examiner

Thank you for the replies I recall we once employed an engineer; he had several university degrees and was working today becoming an assistant professor. He was undoubtedly a very clever man, but my god he was unable to demonstrate the practical skills that went with his certification. I joke you not he would struggle with a hammer and simple straight forward engineering skills he lacked, Drilling, tapping etc. Point being that academic qualifications are great but without the practical skills to back that up your unemployable, in my opinion. For me the only option available to me was the NVQ route, as the company I work for were unwilling to help me fund the course. I had to consider for me the best route, which would meet my career aims and represent a significant step forward in education and knowledge while balancing the cost of courses and the ability to be able to revise in a hectic household. Even with the NVQ I spent many a night reading up and revising to be able to answer the different modules in a way that was required by NVQ. At the end of the day I have gained the same goal regardless of the route I took to get there. I have a proven track record now in working as a health and safety manager and qualification to show I am able to carry out the things I studied for. This now gives me the confidence to move on and hopefully find a new employer, who may appreciate my skills a little more. At the end of the day it’s about providing for my family while doing a career I enjoy. Now I can consider moving towards chartered membership, and if the future allows I would love to continue gaining more qualifications, be that NEBOSH dip or other.Something i never thought possible several years ago. So i wish everyone the best of luck which ever method they choose to take

NVQ 5, to get me to grad IOSH and then CMIOSH after that, so now don't really care about NVQ vs Dip. Either way you do it IOSH accounts for this as part of the CMIOSH route!!!! I have had no issues when moving jobs with regard to this. I have come across the Nebosh Snobs that think academia is the only way forward, but as long as you have your counter for this you should be fine (NGC 1 distinction but had no practical hands on experience which the NVQ 5 gave me). Good luck with Job hunting. For your cv as a tip in very small font at the bottom of your cv, list key words, this will enhance the number of hits and matches you get from the algorithms that the agencies run when matching cvs. in this put NEBOSH, NVQ, GradIOSH etc