Posted By Joe Hardiment
Can anyone answer my question as I have a serious dilema about my future. Is a health,safety and environmental pass degree worth anything, in regards to getting a job.

Posted By RJB1
Joe,

I agree with the other chap's point that experience is without a doubt very important.

However, from my own experience of job hunting and more recently the recruiting of staff, I know that you need to have something that will 'jump out and grab' your potential employers attention.

I would hazard a guess that most people in the profession have a NEBOSH award or two, but a degree (irrespective of classification) certainly does attract attention.

People will agrue until they are blue in the face as to whether a degree makes you any better than a person with a NEBOSH award, to my mind all the degree means is that you have studied at a higher level, been able to undertake research and that you are more likely to have the tools to challenge what is in front of you (ideally in a non biased way) oh plus get drunk!

Back to getting a job, I myself have a degree in Health & Safety Management and when I graduated (which was only 3 years ago) I applied for jobs that I didn't think I had any chance at all getting, but sometimes you have to chance your hand; as I ended up being offered jobs I never dreamed I get an interview for!

Personally, I really advise undergrads to do an industrial placement year (not only does it make what you've learnt thus far become clear but it gives you a year's work experience).

In short, yes I think I degree will help so keep going. If you want to get into 'safety' you really need some form of underpinning knowledge which a degree gives, what are your choices? a) give up and do something else? b) undertake a NEBOSH award which you don't need to do?

Let's face it you don't have to put you passed on your CV anyway!

Hope that lot helps a little.

Keep going, Richard.

Posted By Trevor Pierce
Joe
I passed and got a 2:2 BSc(Hons)in Occupational Health and Safety, from 1996-1999 [no placement year]at the age of 45.

With little actual experience of the real world of H&S, it took me nearly 4yrs, and a couple of external courses of construction and manual handling trainers training at great expense to myself to land a job in H&S. During those 4yrs I was doing "menial" work ie shop work and hospital portering to keep body and soul together.

The degree course I was on, was two trailed, 1 to Occupational Health and Safety or alternatively 2 to become an Occupational Hygenist. As a hands on sort of person, I found that I was not interested in the Biological Sciences entailed in the degree, just passing these subjects, and in my opinion found the NEBOSH General Certificate more interesting and informative.

You don't tell us of the work experience or qualifications gained - if both of these are minimal,and you take the degree route, my advice is to do the placement year, {I regret that I didn't}, to gain experience and look good on your CV.

Good luck, whatever your decision, and persevere what ever the outcome is.

Trevor Pierce BSc(Hons);GradOSH.

PS Some of the youngsters on my degree course, walked straight into jobs, with little or no experience.