I am currently out of work having been made redundant after 24 years. I was a scientist, but had progressed to a full time H&S role over recent years in a drug discovery company. Whilst I am looking for new employment, I am keen to continue learning / studying to hopefully learn new EHS skills during this indefinite period of unemployment.

I have been looking at study options, but there are so many it all gets a bit overwhelming. I do have a NEBOSH General Certificate, so I know how difficult the NEBOSH courses are.

I have been toying with either a fire safety type course (NEBOSH versus other alternatives), but more recently I have also been considering an environmental management type course. But I have very little knowledge of the difference between the two main options, the IEMA versus NEBOSH Environmental certificates. What are thge benefits of either, or are they comparable?

Any further advice or suggestions would be much appreciated

Hi Marty

Straying off topic a bit but that reflects that you did the same in your posting.

I think that an environmental qualification is more likely to add a real bonus to your CV (and broad understanding) than a fire one.

Lots jumping on the fire bandwagon post Grenfell and other incidents but none of the fire risk assessment courses on the market are likely to help you be competent to advise on fire issues, except in relatively simple scenarios UNLESS you have knowledge/experience of structural and/or fire engineering issues. 

Excuse the pun but I think in the next few years, that quite a lot of EHS professionals who decide to offer fire advisory services such as FRAs are going to get their fingers badly burnt, when it is found that they are not competent to provide competent advice on fire safety issues.

As for the choices of an environmental course I think that Kate's advice is probably sound. When I was working for a huge multidisciplinary consultancy I doubt that many, if any, of our environmental specialists had gone down the NEBOSH route. IEMA is the  market leader for logical reasons.

I agree there is great value in classroom learning, not only for the quality of learning you get but also to be able to interact with your peers.  The latest trend is the "virtual classroom" which I think is supposed to replicate some of these advantages while still being remote.  But I haven't done any of this.

I did the Foundation Cert purely by online distance learning with no problems as it is relatively simple.  When I looked into the full and proper Cert, my feeling was like you very much that I would benefit from classroom learning.  It was because there wasn't a convenient one available for me that I dropped my plan to do it.

I'd be very interested to hear back what you decide and how it goes.

More great information, thanks. I am currently in the process of applying for jobs and have a few interviews, but if nothing comes of this I will sign up for the IEMA certificate online option very soon.