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Ross Glover Ex RAF Wishing to further Health & Safety Career
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Posted By Ross Glover
Hello,
Having recently finished my service with the RAF after 25 years, I would very much like to start my new life in an area that I enjoyed; Health and Safety.
I am NEBOSH (Gen Cert) qualified, with over 9 years Health and Safety experience, predominately within Supply and Logistics, however, for the past 7 months I have been working, in my own time, on a construction site and have a working knowledge of CDM regulations and aspects of building site hazards.
I would like to work within the construction industry, or further my knowledge within Logistics Health and Safety and I intend to begin studying on my NVQ 4 in Occupational Health & Safety Practice, as soon as I secure a civilian Health & Safety.
I currently live in the Highlands of Scotland (near Inverness) and would prefer to remain working within Scotland, however, I would be willing to travel or relocate.
Can anyone help me to further my Health and Safety career?
Many thanks
Ross
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Posted By DW
Hello Ross,
Good luck in your job searching. It's good to see an ex fellow student pursuing the H and S route. I have a job working in H and S since last September and am now studtying the Dip 4. Once again good luck!!
Regards
Donna (aka Kylie)
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Posted By Keith Morison
I am a HSE Advisor and I know Ross and worked with him at RAF Kinloss on a Safety project last year. Ross is very highly motivated and extremely competent, and in my opinion, will be an asset to any company who wants a leader in Health & Safety.
He has good qualifications in H&S and has taught various H&S subjects while in the forces.
Ross, if you consider working further away than Scotland, you will open up the field to other prospective employers. Also, you might want to emphasise that you would accept both permanent and / or contract positions.
Good Luck,
Keith
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Posted By Malcolm Hogarth
Ross, Welcome to the discussion forum.
I too am ex RAF (TG19) having left in 1996. There are many more of us ex service out here and I think overall our background is of value to employers
It may not always be a good idea to state that you are ex service as there is still a perception of what that means (usually that you are ex Army and have no initiative or skills)!!
I would say that your next logical step is the Diploma or NVQ.
Good luck in your endevours.
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Posted By Robert (Rod) Douglas
Malcolm,
I find a part of your posting inappropriate.
You stated.
"It may not always be a good idea to state that you are ex service as there is still a perception of what that means (usually that you are ex Army and have no initiative or skills)!! "
I am myself an "Ex Service" (Army) of 22 year Colour Service having left in 2001, I have never encounter this type of prejudice or as you put "Perception" that we Ex Army have no skills or initiative, I find that exteremely patronising to say the least.
Just because we were soldiers does not mean we cannot think for ourselves or we are devoid of skills.
It is not just the RAF or Navy that places great emphasis on training, I would just like to state for the record that the Army is rathering keen on training, developing and honing individuals skills.
Yours Aye,
Rod Douglas MIOSH MIIRSM MInstLM DipRSA
(Not bad for an ex pongo)
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Posted By Malcolm Hogarth
Rod,
I thought my post might provoke a lively response! I did not intend to be patronising or set out to offend anybody but was merely making a point based on my own experiences (granted it was nine years ago and I accept that things will have changed), I apologise unreservedly for for any offence.
My first position on leaving the RAF was with a company that was percieved to be a market leader. However I found that I was expected to compromise standards of food hygiene and health and safety. I stood up to the manager because nobody else would and was told in no uncertain terms that "You are not in the Army now you know" Needless to say I decided that the company was not for me and chose to leave . I actually resigned but was persuaded to stay by the Regional Manager but things didn't get ant better. The last straw was when we were told to relocate from the top floor of an office block to the basement using the building contractors lift as a means of moving the equipment and materials.
I currently work for an organisation that assists long term unemployed in getting back to work. This also involves talking to employers. A number of our clients are ex service and I have to say that the majority are highly skilled and qualified yet they still find themselves unemployed. On the plus side, employers do value ex servicemen for their skills and work ethic and
I did mention in my posting that I believe we add value to an organisation.
I would still caution mentioning overtly, ex military status, certainly at the initial jobsearch stage.
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Posted By Jonathan Breeze
All,
Permit me to put over a none ex-military perspective.
I think what Malcolm is hinting at is that by posting such a subject line, anyone who is not aware of what is really on offer will in the worst case be put off by the apparent (but totally unfounded) nepotism which they perceive.
In the best case it comes over as a bit Corporal Jones from Dads Army "When I was in the Crimea..." They will think, "If you liked it that much, why did you leave?"
This is not a dig at you Ross, it's about employer perceptions and first impressions. Sad but true.
Having worked with ex-military, I know that what is probably being offered by Ross is something along the lines of:
- Very systems oriented;
- Works well under pressure;
- A very wide experience; &
- Adaptable.
But if you don't say that, then employers who don't understand what you're offering will never pick it up and you may in fact be limiting your options.
It's all about "selling" (nasty horrible word) yourself.
That said, it amazes me the number of trained killers who end up in "elf'n'safety", so they must be doing something right.
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Posted By Jonathan Breeze PS - If you want any help with selling yourself or CV's and you're based in Wales, then our organisation can help you with free advice. Take a look at www.careerswales.com(Trusting this is not in breach of Acceptable Use Guidelines as it is a free service.)
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Posted By Ross Glover
All,
Many thanks for all of your interesting thoughts!
I have to admit that my own personal experience from working with all 3 forces has been positive, whenever the chips were down we would always stick together, no matter what.
On a personal view, the hardest area that I have come across, since leaving, has to be expressing my experience within civilian speak. Yes, we have, most likely, done more than most, but, it is trying to remember get that across, and saying what the employer wants to hear.
Cheers all for your support and comments, it really does help.
Ross
P.S.
Kylie..Great to hear from you and well done on passing. Have you got an e-mail address?
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