Rank: Forum user 
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Hi, 23 years in heavy civil, Rail, and construction working and worked on some famous projects as health and safety Advisor /Manager (if theres any difference). Why would i need C MIOSH as i see that all the recruiters are asking for it. Is Knowledge not enough anymore? Is common sence not enough? Is realising that in my industry that everything is not all black and white and that heavy duty paperwork does not save lives? Or shall i just pack my bags and leave it to the school leavers.? appreciate comments.
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Rank: Super forum user 
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Please don't take this the wrong way - many of my posts end up edited thanks to fat finger syndrome resulting in spelling errors - but communication skills are paramount in leading others so poor grammar, spelling errors (sence) tend to immediately dismiss applications. Flipside whole heartedly agree a bunch of letters do not equate to a quality candidiate - there have been many posts on here arguing relative merits of certain levels of membership and the qualifications of the holder. My personal bug bear is that most of the devlopment specific to my sphere of interest does not attract CPD points thanks to its niche. Unfortunately recruiters in general do not understand the field, those specialists that do invatriably are not approached by the potential employer. Many decades ago graduates started a drive to employ other graduates - problem is they may have their BA/BSc etc. but in reality have no real world experience having spent the last 3/4/5 years in an educational establishment learning from a syllabus 2/3/4 years out of date with current reality. Thing is anyone can learn at college to pass an exam what you never learn is the soft commercial and interpersonal skills specific to an employment developed over years of practical experience. Nett result - the over prescriptive policies difficult to communicate impossible to police and ultimately counter productive for the business aka "elf n safety gone mad". I am happy to know many good CMiosh practicioners and have been round long enough to have encountered some horrendous holders of the same post nominal.
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Rank: Super forum user
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Please don't take this the wrong way - many of my posts end up edited thanks to fat finger syndrome resulting in spelling errors - but communication skills are paramount in leading others so poor grammar, spelling errors (sence) tend to immediately dismiss applications. Flipside whole heartedly agree a bunch of letters do not equate to a quality candidiate - there have been many posts on here arguing relative merits of certain levels of membership and the qualifications of the holder. My personal bug bear is that most of the devlopment specific to my sphere of interest does not attract CPD points thanks to its niche. Unfortunately recruiters in general do not understand the field, those specialists that do invatriably are not approached by the potential employer. Many decades ago graduates started a drive to employ other graduates - problem is they may have their BA/BSc etc. but in reality have no real world experience having spent the last 3/4/5 years in an educational establishment learning from a syllabus 2/3/4 years out of date with current reality. Thing is anyone can learn at college to pass an exam what you never learn is the soft commercial and interpersonal skills specific to an employment developed over years of practical experience. Nett result - the over prescriptive policies difficult to communicate impossible to police and ultimately counter productive for the business aka "elf n safety gone mad". I am happy to know many good CMiosh practicioners and have been round long enough to have encountered some horrendous holders of the same post nominal.
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Rank: Forum user
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I am also in heavy civils and construction. Due to the fact that this is specialist and probably THE most dangerous operation in construction, due to heavy plant, very deep holes etc etc, it does infact carry alot of weight on a CV. I also get called advisor/manager/officer, it means that due to the specific nature of this industry, our on the spot problem solving skills are infact quite attractive to a potential employer (I am basing that statement on comments made by client directors) unfortunately recruiters are tasked with finding people who have achieved a certain level of professional status and or qualifications. I have always found it more productive to find out which company has a vacancy and approach them directly with a CV bypassing the recruitment agencies for certain roles
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Originally Posted by: olufsen1  Hi, 23 years in heavy civil, Rail, and construction working and worked on some famous projects as health and safety Advisor /Manager (if theres any difference). Why would i need C MIOSH as i see that all the recruiters are asking for it. Is Knowledge not enough anymore? Is common sence not enough? Is realising that in my industry that everything is not all black and white and that heavy duty paperwork does not save lives? Or shall i just pack my bags and leave it to the school leavers.? appreciate comments.
To flip it on its head, why don't you use your knowldge and experiences to gain Chartered status and aid in the development of the 'school leavers' as you call them. Not 'all' jobs ask for CMIOSH and if you're good enough then you'll get a position, as with most careers in life! The benefits of CMIOSH are to me at least very clear, but it's all on personal preference and perception. With 23 years behind you, that'd count for more than someone like myself with 5 years and CMIOSH at 26.
CMIOSH is certainly helpful for recruiters and HR teams to shortlist and sift potential candidates - but as Roundtuit suggests, CMIOSH isn't necessarily a guarantee of a great practitioner of H&S so should never be undertaken 'just for the letters' - its got to be done for the right reasons ( https://www.iosh.co.uk/~/media/Documents/Membership/MembershipCategories20131%20new%20links.pdf?la=en )
Jamie
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Rank: Super forum user
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Hi Roundtuit, I don't understand your comment:
"My personal bug bear is that most of the devlopment specific to my sphere of interest does not attract CPD points thanks to its niche."
IOSH CPD scheme should be able to cope with all your development.
My latest additions to my online CPD cover Chronic Wasting Disease, Larch Dieback and Dothistroma.
Very niche but of increasing relevance to our projects and easily catered for by the IOSH online system for recording.
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Rank: Super forum user
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Originally Posted by: olufsen1 Hi, 23 years in heavy civil, Rail, and construction working and worked on some famous projects as health and safety Advisor /Manager (if theres any difference). Why would i need C MIOSH as i see that all the recruiters are asking for it. Is Knowledge not enough anymore? Is common sence not enough? Is realising that in my industry that everything is not all black and white and that heavy duty paperwork does not save lives? Or shall i just pack my bags and leave it to the school leavers.? appreciate comments.
There are very few guarantees in life; someone can have all the qualifications but lack common sense, or have years of experience but be let down by a lack of technical knowledge. Would you be questioning the value of being a Chartered Engineer/Chemist/Accountant? You have to demonstrate both knowledge and application on the road to Chartered; it's not just an academic qualification.
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Rank: Forum user
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Originally Posted by: Roundtuit Many decades ago graduates started a drive to employ other graduates - problem is they may have their BA/BSc etc. but in reality have no real world experience having spent the last 3/4/5 years in an educational establishment learning from a syllabus 2/3/4 years out of date with current reality. Thing is anyone can learn at college to pass an exam what you never learn is the soft commercial and interpersonal skills specific to an employment developed over years of practical experience.
I did a 4 year BSc in Environmental Health but was 'supervised/memtored' for a few years while I got on with my CPD (CPD for the CIEH is much harder than for IOSH!) until I felt competent enough to go for Chartered membership. As the years went on & I left local Govt to specialise in H&S, I eventually decided that I wasn't meeting the standard needed & I gave back my Chartered status. (I'm no longer a member of the CIEH but that's a whole other story...) . I am CMIOSH & I am competent, well thought of in my field but if I ever felt that I wasn't, I'd do what I did again and drop the Chartered. It does have a status but it needs to be deserved.
Its my personal opinion but a competent person should know when they are not & it follows that they should recognise the point when they can no longer call themselves Chartered with a clear conscience.
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olufsen1, I think you have answered your own question. If all the recruiters are asking for it then it becomes necessary to be considered for all the jobs.
I'm not saying that this situation is correct, nor do I actually believe it is true. However, the gaining of Chartered status is a mark of professional achievement in many of the professions and IOSH and others have worked very hard to advance our chosen field of endeavour such that we can now reach the same level of professionalism as others. Do you need to be Chartered? Probablybe not. Do you want it? That's for you to decide. Those that have made the effort to be recognised as reaching the level required to be Chartered clearly wanted it and maybe needed it for advancement in their own careers. Edited by user 01 June 2017 09:14:24(UTC)
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