To ask how to get into a Health and Safety/ QHSE role?

[HPPRO]

Very long story, short. I really want to change career and am particularly interested in going into Health and Safety. I live in an area where there is a lot of 'industry' like Oil and Gas and Engineering so theoretically there should be a high demand for Health and Safety advisor and similar roles.

The question is, where do I even start? I've been searching for H&S trainee roles but there aren't any and I feel I could be waiting forever.

I have savings, I've looked into potentially completing the NEBOSH quals as a starting point, but is that a complete waste of time when I don't have a job that currently requires any Health and Safety? The course prospectuses say you'll need to apply practical experience which I can't do.

Does anyone have any advice :-( I'm in a dead-end career, struggling with money and so, so bored. I'm so desperate for a change and am motivated, but have no idea how to get a foot in the door.

@HPPRO You might find it helpful to browse the Mature Study and Retraining board, here:

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/mature_students

Not sure if there’s currently anything already there on your specific question, but there’s an enormous amount on taking first steps and the challenges of retraining.

I work in an organisation where health and safety is our key priority (we have staff and contractors working in high risk situations). We take on lots of apprentices and would put these through relevant quals, and it is likely these days most of our trainees join as apprentices and may apply via a generic application rather than for a specific role. So I suggest try searching for H&S apprentice roles rather than "trainee", there is a "Find an Apprenticeship" page on the Gov.UK website.
You could try looking at the recruitment pages of some of the industries near you and see if they have an apprentice intake, ours opens once or twice a year. I suggest contacting the HR depts of some of these companies and asking them? We have no age limits on apprentices so it isn't just for "young people"

No idea where you are but for example there is the HSE advisor apprenticeship for offshore wind, based in east Anglia - register with the govt apprenticeship website below to get alerts for jobs.

https://www.findapprenticeship.service.gov.uk/apprenticeship/reference/1000217804

Yes it is definitely worth doing the NEBOSH qualification. Have you looked at roles in telecoms companies and network rail?

I agree an apprenticeship is the way to go. Earn while you train and your employer pays for your qualifications. Can be a really good way to do it.

NEBOSH certificate would be a good start - it covers the basics and gives a good grounding.

Have you looked at HSEQ admin type posts?

Here’s an example:

HSEQ administrator on Indeed example

Re applying experience when taking the NEBOSH cert course - whilst I think it’s useful to be able to think of real life applications, a lot of it is pretty generic and more about understanding hazards and risks and the relevant legislation. I did the practical exam part in a brewery but worked in construction.

Hi all,

Thank you so much for all of your responses- how kind! I'm 34, so whilst I'm no spring chicken, I'm not completely 'past it' so perhaps an apprenticeship would be worth looking into?

I'm absolutely happy to undertake the NEBOSH general cert, I can take 2 weeks annual leave from work and am fortunate enough to be able to pay for it with savings, but it was just the fact that I'm currently not working in a role that requires it that was putting me off, I'm worried the course instructor will think I'm an absolute weirdo, lol!

I'm going to check all of these suggestions out- thank you so much again!

I swapped from construction / environment into HSEQ within a large engineering / manufacturing company at 33 (with a toddler at home) so it’s definitely doable.

25 years on I’m pretty much retired but still putting my skills to use for a charitable trust.

Another one saying do the NEBOSH.
Can you volunteer for some organisation where you could put what you learn into practice if you really can't apply it to your normal job. usually companies are crying out for internal safety reps, or someone to do a risk assessment or look after the ladder register so maybe ask around your organisation.

I work in Oil and Gas and a NEBOSH would be a good place to start - seems to be the base thing required for all HSE types, and there will always be HSE jobs on the market. Hopefully your current role will have transferable skills like using MS Office etc. Then go looking for an HSE Admin / Coordinator job that offers some development (eg towards ISO 45001 Auditor or that kind of thing).

Consider short term contracts through agencies to begin with (it's what I did) as it can give you a few good lines on your CV in short order.
I was 10 years in retail - spent a year looking for a job to leave to and couldn't get anything. Then just left with nothing planned - being immediately available can be massively beneficial - and managed to pick up a 3 month contract in certification, then 3 months in a massive company as a Training and Competence Admin, then 6 months in another big company as T&C Coordinator. After that I had no problem getting interviews for permanent jobs and was better off salary wise (worth the short term pain).

To be in HSE you need to be driven, principled and have a real passion for it so be prepared to show that. If you're looking at working on a site/offshore, a lot of the job will be having the guts to pull people up and potentially stop jobs for unsafe practices and being a shrinking violet doesn't help

I think O&G has always been resistant to H&S, it was Wild West territory back in the 70s and a lot of that culture still pervades. You do have to be resilient and determined in HSEQ and even more so in the more male dominated industries.

Oh dear, truthfully? I am a bit of a shrinking violet (though definitely getting more assertive the older I get) I have worked in O&G before though and actually wasn't afraid to do what needed doing and all the men were pretty respectful about that so maybe I'd be okay, or maybe I need to get myself on an assertiveness course, pronto lol!