NEBOSH are an independent examination board based in the UK who offer a range of globally recognised qualifications in health & safety. Their qualifications are highly respected and sought after by employers and professionals.
You might be thinking about what your limits are with a NEBOSH qualification, what types there are, what course is best for you and where a NEBOSH qualification could take you. Hopefully, this blog will help you answer those questions and give help you make an informed decision about your next steps.
Who should study a NEBOSH qualification?
There are many people who would benefit from a NEBOSH qualification. The NEBOSH General Certificate is the most popular of the NEBOSH courses, as it is relevant and applicable to so many industries and job roles at various levels.
- Health and Safety Managers or Officers – those who are responsible for managing and implementing health and safety policies and procedures at work
- Safety Representatives – employees that are designated to represent the workforce in health and safety matters
- Supervisors and Team Leaders – those who are overseeing a team or a department and are responsible for the team’s activities being compliant with health and safety regulations
- HR (Human Resources) professionals – HR usually contribute to developing and implementing new policies, procedures and training programmes for staff. HR personnel can also be involved in managing an accident at work by supporting the designated safety officer and helping with the aftermath of the incident.
Construction, manufacturing, transportation and logistics and those in the public sector who are responsible for enforcing health and safety regulations would also benefit from having a qualification like the NEBOSH General Certificate.
Getting a health and safety NEBOSH qualification
NEBOSH accredit training providers for their courses. Going with an accredited provider assures the highest standards for your course. NEBOSH have three different statuses for their training providers – bronze, silver and gold.
Project Skills Solutions have a gold training provider status. Check out what makes us a Gold NEBOSH training provider in our blog.
NEBOSH National General Certificate
Whether you are looking for a career in health & safety or want to gain health and safety responsibility at work you will probably have heard about the NEBOSH National General Certificate. This qualification i
s a good starting point if you want to gain a good foundation of health & safety knowledge. The NEBOSH General Certificate is one of the most popular NEBOSH courses. The comprehensive curriculum will enhance your knowledge of health and safety and can be applied to any industry. It is a highly regarded course and takes 2 weeks (68 hours of trainer-led learning) to complete, with both a practical and written exam.
The NEBOSH General Certificate is a good course to start with if you are not sure whether a health and safety career is for you, or if you would like a health and safety responsibility in a workplace that isn’t considered high risk.
After completing this qualification, most people will progress onto complete the NEBOSH National Diploma if they want to specialise in health & safety.
The NEBOSH National Diploma
It is not recommended to jump straight into the NEBOSH National diploma after completing the NEBOSH certificate. It is important that if you are serious about a health & safety career, that you spend time applying what you have learned and putting it into practice. Then you will be better prepared to dive into the diploma once you have got some experience.
However, if you are planning on working, or already working in a high-risk environment such as construction, the oil and gas industry and manufacturing, then it might be more appropriate for you to consider jumping straight into the NEBOSH National Diploma.
The diploma has a designed duration of 1 to 2 years. Therefore, it needs a serious time commitment over a long period to complete it successfully. You can read more about the NEBOSH National Diploma on their website.
What jobs can you get with a NEBOSH qualification?
The NEBOSH National General Certificate can be beneficial for several roles that involve health and safety responsibilities:
- Health and Safety Officer or Advisor
- Health and Safety Manager
- Site Supervisor or Manager
- Facilities Manager
- HR Managers
- Risk Assessor or Consultant
- Environmental Health Officer
- Compliance officer
- Quality Control/Assurance Manager
Employers consider the NEBOSH General Certificate as valuable in these roles, but they also take into account other factors such as experience, additional, more specific qualifications, or industry-specific knowledge when evaluating candidates.
Typically, the NEBOSH National Diploma is sought after for more senior roles:
- Health and Safety Manager or Director
- Health and Safety Consultant
- Occupational Health and Safety Advisor or Coordinator
- Risk Manager
- Health and Safety Trainers or Instructors
- Construction Health and Safety Manager
- Compliance Manager
- Process Safety Engineer
It is worth noting that these are not definitive lists, and the NEBOSH qualifications are not mandatory for all roles.
Starting a career in health and safety
The day-to-day activities of someone in a health and safety job role can be varied, and this is often the appeal. If you care about making a difference to work environments, are resilient and can persevere with at times challenging situations, then a role in health and safety might be for you. NEBOSH have published a guide about health and safety careers that you can download on their website.
