Posted By Anna Blukacz Dear all, Recently I've completed NEBOSH General Certificate course which apparently should help me with getting a new career in Health and Safety. It's somehow hard to believe in that as all the vacancies I found require at least 1 year Health and Safety experience. I only recently started to be involved with Risk Assessments, DSE and Manual Handling but that's apparently not enough. Is there any companies out there who are willing to invest in newly qualified people who are eager to learn and waiting for the breakthrough in their Health and Safety career? I look forward to all your comments. Kind Regards, Anna

Posted By Anna Blukacz Hi Steve, I'm trying to get some work straight away and for all of you out there looking for some entry work within Health and Safety I've some leads to places who apparently might be able to help: response@shirleyparsons.com www.pps-safetyselect.com www.thasp.co.uk hsecv@allen-york.com www.jobs-in-safety.com www.convertrecruitment.co.uk www.principalpeople.co.uk Good luck and keep in touch. would be nice to know what luck you had. All the best, Anna

Posted By Min Tat Hi Richard, I'm also a fresh graduate in MSc in Safety with Environmental Management. I'm wondering if you got any junior post of health & Safety and/or Environmental management? I'm based in Scotland but willing to relocate and travelling. Thanks. Min

Posted By Layla Remy Anna, Have you managed to find something yet? I've also been looking for a junior position in health and safety and have been discouraged by many agencies and adverts. I have a degree in Health and Safety and am a member of IOSH/GradIOSH. I am looking to gain experience in the field. Let me know what happens. Good luck Layla

Posted By Geoff Dale Hi I was in the same boat as you last year after passing the Nebosh Gen Cert. After 2 months I was lucky enough to get a temporary contract which turned into a permanent role. I found the job on the www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk site. Not through agencies or safety mags. (After 'search' Select factory /process option, then health & safety). Good Luck.

Posted By daves smeaton I have found a website called jobsite.co.uk,I found 23 H&S jobs in my area of Lancashire, give it a try and good luck.

Posted By Tony Croasdale Hi Anna, I know exactly what you're going through! I'm the site H&S Manager for a muli-national industrial services provider and we're based on Petro-Chem and Power Generating sites. Last year I took the bull by the horns and decided that enthusiasm was almost as good as that "1 year" experience. I employed 2 trainee H&S advisors to assist me in my duties. One had only just completed his NEBOSH and the second is booked on to it in May. These positions that that you have seen and have asked for one year experience, give them a call and explain your circumstances and you never know, they might start thinking on the same wave length as me!!! Tony C

Posted By Jonathan Sandler CMIOSH This is a subject that IOSH is looking into, its the catch 22 situation, how can i get a job if I can not get the expireance etc.. One of the best ways of getting into work could be through your nearest regional IOSH group, joining them, networking at the monthly meetings, joining the member closed forum, seeing what posted on there. Agencies will be hard for the newly qualified H&S person, sometimes it might be worthwhile doing some voulantry work to get some expearance. LAs, Central goverment, just a thought. Regards

Posted By Stu Haysman Hi Anna, Don't give up hope! I've just landed my first 'proper' H+S job after a year of looking and like many others I've been on the emotional rollercoaster for the whole time, wondering if my studies were worth it (yes they were!). Now I'm not looking back. Follow the common advice - gain as much experience in your current position as possible (it all counts and helps to improve your CV), apply for as many jobs as possible (it's all good experience) and just keep plugging away (you will probably need a tenacious attitude in H+S anyway......!!!!). Best of Luck Stu

Posted By Asha Matovu Anna, I am keeping fingers crossed for you and wish you the best. Whatever the outcome, you will always feel stronger because you learn from it. I am exactly in the same boat as you and I will not rest until someone says yes. Like they say enthusiasm can be just as good as the experience they are asking for.

Posted By David Until recently I was Group SHE Manager for a chemical and polymer manufacturing company with manufacturing sites in the North East and North West. I have now moved within the Company to be Global Operations Manager, but the new SHE Manager is looking for somebody who wants to get into SHE - the role to be filled is based in South Yorkshire, and will initially involve the successful applicant in mainly SHE Admin tasks, but, depending on the person, will gradually be expanded to include other SHE activities. We have taken on a number of people into the SHE department in the last 5 years, varying from degree qualified chemists with no SHE qualifications to fully qualified SHE professionals. This is a new venture for us, but we think it will be worthwhile both for us and the successful applicant. If you are interested, I will send him your details if you let me have them.

Posted By Kevin B. Jones Hello Anna I emphasise with your position. I would like to say it gets easier however I have over eight years experience, a nebosh diploma part one, a list of training as long as your arm and it doesn’t get any easier. All I can say is stick with it, you are in the right profession, you will make a difference. Regards, Kevin Kevin Jones BSc (Hons) Tech IOSH AIEMA Safety & Environmental Consultant Email: kevin.jones@safetyadviser.co.uk www.safetyadviser.co.uk

Posted By David sorry, my email address was hidden. it should now be available. I will forward anybody's details on to our SHE Manager.

Posted By Kevin B. Jones Hello Anna I emphasise with your position. I would like to say it gets better however with over eight years experience, a nebosh diploma part one, a list of training as long as your arm and it doesn’t get any easier. All I can say is stick with it, you are in the right profession, you will make a difference. Regards, Kevin.

Posted By Iain Tomlins It is nice to know there are others in the same boat. I have recently completed the NEBOSH Gen Cert after receiving much advice saying 'You'll get a start in QHSE with it'. Several months later and with a pile of letters 'Sorry your application has been unsuccessful' I am still looking. Could anyone advise of a firm in Aberdeenshire looking to give a start to an enthusiastic, hard working and reliable Gen. Cert. holder in the QHSE field?

Posted By Lynne Davis So what work do people take until they are successful?

Posted By Christopher Kelly Same as everybody else - having been employed in a role closely related to health and safety, took the decision to jump into it full-time - had lots of specific h&s knowledge and good general H&S knowledge built up over 19 years, lots of other H&S courses in construction, general engineering have done all my H&S certs but didn't have the diploma, Now have v good grades in dip1 and well on way to dip2, however still found it difficult to get a job with a reputable company, before getting dip1 results, although numerous offers from dodgy companies. Last year got a permanent position with an engineering company. They needed a h&s manager but not enough work to justify a full-time position, so they combined the role (seems to be common practice)with personnel and some general management. In my experience it seems to be Personnel people who are given H&S responsibilities but often don't have the right experience. In my case I am doing the H&S well (touch-wood) and learning on the personnel side of things (fairly easy to pick up the basics). I am working long hours but really feel I have got my teeth into something and am enjoying getting results in improving safety. My saleability in future is being massively broadened due to additional roles (am HSE Manager, Planning and Construction Stage Supervisor on special contracts). I would say be prepared to be flexible, sell the full range of your abilities but be careful about taking on a responsible H&S role if you don't have the experience - very dangerous, especially if you get involved with a dodgy firm - trust me there are a lot of them out there! If you are young be prepared to travel - although old, I worked in Ireland last year and built up my experience of European legislation / different standards, working with Poles, Russians, Irish etc. You can't beat having lots of experience on your CV. Another word of advice - forget the agencies - they are all a total waste of space (except Hays who are good but do have a tendency to send you to the wrong address etc - very annoying ! and a guy called Dan Bird at a small firm somewhere in Notts / Leics - sorry cannot remember name of the firm) most of the others don't know anything about h&s and your experience isn't taken into account. Best place for jobs are direct adverts on the IOSH website and in SHP. Most of the people at agencies I am sorry to say are bluffers and just want people on their books so they have a selection to put in front of their client when a job comes up. Also - make sure your CV communicates your skills concisely - my experience was very wide and I found employers looking at my last 2 jobs (transport and general manager), assuming that I had no H&S knowledge because they didn't look at my previous knowledge which was almost purely H&S. I had to constantly beat it into people that working in transport actually gave me useful experience in an area of h&s which is one of the biggest killers.

Posted By Anna Blukacz To all of you out there! First of all let me say thank you for all the responses and advice I got from you. After taking everything on board I've managed to have already 2 interviews and I have another 2 set up. So don't loose hope. Everything can happen, even if you don't have much experience. Good luck to me and everyone out there looking for their break.

Posted By rks Hi all, Just jumping into the link to give all the new starters a bit of hope. I have just landed my first full time position, even before getting my dip 1 results, with a multi national company. It seems that some people actually understand that sometimes enthusiasm can be more of an attribute than experience. To all those still looking don't give up it will come Regards