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KaranIOSH  
#1 Posted : 14 July 2024 15:13:46(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
KaranIOSH

Hello all just looking for everyones opinions related to which organisations are worth volunteering for to get health and safety experience.

Kate  
#2 Posted : 14 July 2024 17:18:32(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Kate

Well now.  The organisations that accept volunteers tend to be charities and other kinds of non-profit organisations that are on some kind of moral mission to make the world a better place as they see it.  Their volunteers tend to be people who are in favour of whatever purpose the organisation is promoting, want to contribute to its furtherance, have either skilled or unskilled labour to offer that is useful to the organisation, and are happy to do so without payment.  Those are the kinds of criteria an organisation, however charitable,  would apply in accepting a volunteer. 

Unskilled health and safety advice can be more of a problem than a contribution.

If you want experience, then low-paid, entry-level work (which might include apprenticeship) is the way to get it.

thanks 1 user thanked Kate for this useful post.
peter gotch on 15/07/2024(UTC)
chris42  
#3 Posted : 15 July 2024 08:18:17(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
chris42

You have posted a couple of times over pay and gaining experience.

I got my experience by being in the wrong place at the wrong time.šŸ˜ then its like being on a moving train you canā€™t get off. Ie Dogsbody to ISO9001 guy, to ISO9001,  environmental guy and Quality Manager, then one day as if by magic I was asked to be the SHEQ Manager as the current H&S guy was going to be works manager.

I think a lot of people have similar experiences where they hold a junior position, then move up the ladder due to general people churn and natural losses to the business. Can you help the current H&S person in your organisation you are already in, that you understand the risks for. Once you get either some experience in your organisation or a title you can move on.

If your company pays outsiders, then be their contact at your organisation so you become the one that understands what they are on about. Then you can aim to replace them at some point.

Getting experience sort of depends on your past and getting a job that is that, with a little H&S, then move forwards.

I donā€™t know if this helps but I hope it does. Your problem is the age old chicken and egg and which comes first, except in H&S canā€™t get experience without a job and canā€™t get a job without experience. I think the chicken one is easier to answer you just need to define the terms properly.

There is no easy path to fame, glory and money in H&S. You have already identified your pay is not going to get you the helicopter, speedboat and private island you always wanted early on in your career.

Chris

thanks 2 users thanked chris42 for this useful post.
Martin Fieldingt on 15/07/2024(UTC), peter gotch on 15/07/2024(UTC)
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