Rank: New forum user 
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Hi
This is my first post so please bear with me....
Basically I was looking for a little advice on how exactly to get myself rolling on a proper career path in H&S. I hold the NEBOSH General Certificate and am going to be studying the NEBOSH Fire Certificate next Spring, however at present I have little to no practical experience other than being involved as a Fire Warden for my current employer.
I have a lot of theoretical knowledge as that's a big part of what I do currently (I won't say what that is but it's along the lines of being involved with training but not actually specifically doing that training).
What direction do you feel I should take to get myself into H&S proper?
thanks
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Rank: Forum user
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Hi
Please don’t take this as a negative reply; but at the moment breaking into H&S is rather difficult. There are many people who hold the NEBOSH Diploma, NVQ or equivalent academic qualification along with several years of practical experience, who are struggling to find employment in this most challenging and rewarding field.
This makes it even more difficult for people with limited experience and/or slightly lower academic qualifications to get there foot onto the H&S ladder.
Have you tried talking to your current employer to see if you could assist or shadow your current H&S person?
Other than that my advice is that you try to seek some voluntary work, such as assisting a local charity or voluntary group with their H&S requirements in order to gain some experience; as this will at least improve your CV. Then as the market improves you may find that you can find employment as an assistant H&S person.
You may also consider looking at undertaking the Diploma or NVQ, however unless your employer will fund then this will need to be paid for by yourself.
Hope that helps
Steve
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Rank: New forum user
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Hi
I have just left the armed forces where I was a construction engineer for 9 years, I also decided to go down the H&S route and like your self I did the NEBOSH Gen, construction and fire cert. I found it very difficult to find work also so I decided to send my CV to company’s offering my services for free on weekends while I was on leave from the army. I also wrote to my local council explaining my situation and they offered me some work experience which was very useful indeed. I went from company to company working weekends for free until my army contract had finished. By the end of it my CV was much improved and led onto the full time H&S role I am doing now.
The I think key is to get the experience (which you may already have) and then back it up with the qualifications (vice versa) and then transfer that to your CV.
hope that helped
good luck
Mike
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Rank: Super forum user
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Never underestimate the power of voluntary work, I too found myself struggling to break into the H&S field with the NGC under my belt.
I volunteered with a medium sized manufacturing company for 7 months, then moved on to a consultancy firm for 6 months, recording everything I had done for them for the purpose of my CV.
My CV looked very good after this, and was very lucky to find a job advertised that I was underqualified for, however my voluntary work got me to the interview stage, and I convinced them that I was the man they were looking for.
Been in the job for under a year now and facing all the challenges that my fellow safety practitioner encounter.
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