Case Studies

When did you decide you wanted to build your career in health and safety?

My interest in health and safety began while I was working as a Team Leader in a manufacturing plant. At that point, I wasn’t looking to change careers; I was focused on operations, leading teams, and keeping production moving. Then I attended a CoSHH training course and it completely changed the way I thought.

When you work in manufacturing, you don’t always view the workplace through a health and safety lens. Hazards can become part of the routine. You learn to work around them, sometimes without fully recognising the risks. That’s why training is so important. During that course, I realised just how much responsibility sits behind health and safety — and how much I didn’t yet understand. I also realised how much I wanted to learn.

After the session, I stayed behind to speak with the trainer. I thanked him for the presentation and asked what a career in health and safety looked like, because at that time I had no idea where to start. He explained the different pathways and pointed me towards the NEBOSH National General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety. I remember walking away thinking, very clearly: this is what I want to do.

After this advice, you signed up for the NEBOSH National General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety. Did you find it useful?

I still remember the moment I applied for my NEBOSH National General Certificate. It felt exciting and terrifying at the same time — like standing at the start of something important. I had done my research and knew it wouldn’t be easy, but that was exactly why I wanted to do it. You cannot truly progress if something is too easy; it needs to challenge you, educate you, and change the way you think.

I completed my NEBOSH National General Certificate in May 2022. It gave me a solid foundation in health and safety principles, legislation, and best practice. More importantly, it changed how I viewed the role of health and safety altogether. I began to see it as far more than compliance. For me, health and safety has real meaning — it protects lives, preserves the environment, and keeps people safe.

Knowing that my work could genuinely make a difference is what makes this career so meaningful to me. It is more than just a job.

How did you secure your first role in the health and safety profession?

After ten years working in operations, and while I was halfway through my NEBOSH General Certificate, I made one of the hardest decisions of my career: I applied for my first health and safety role. It felt risky. I had built a stable and progressive career in operations and stepping away from that security was daunting.

Looking back now, I realise I didn’t abandon those years — I carried them with me. That operational experience became one of my greatest strengths in health and safety, helping me understand people, processes, and pressures. I suppose it means I can apply theory in a practical, realistic way.

What was next for your professional development?

I signed up for the BSc (Hons) Health, Safety and Environmental Management degree, delivered by NEBOSH Gold Learning Partner, the University of Hull.

This degree is truly unique because two NEBOSH Diploma-level qualifications are embedded within it. I studied it part-time over four years, which allowed me to gain the following three highly respected qualifications while balancing my work and personal life:

• NEBOSH National Level 6 Diploma for Occupational Health and Safety Management Professionals
• NEBOSH National Diploma in Environmental Management
• A BSc (Hons) Degree

Starting the course was a huge commitment. I lived over an hour from the university and had to attend lectures on campus while working full-time and managing family life. I knew it would be hard — and it was. But I also knew it was the right decision. The NEBOSH General Certificate had given me a strong start, so I could only imagine what studying to Diploma level would do for my career.

Funding the degree through Student Finance England made this journey possible. Without that support, higher education simply wouldn’t have been accessible to me — it genuinely opened doors.

Did you enjoy the course?
I started the degree as a relatively “new” health and safety professional. Although I had operational experience and a good understanding of manufacturing processes, I often doubted myself professionally. There were moments when everything felt unfamiliar and overwhelming — but I trusted the process, even when I wasn’t fully confident in myself.

I achieved the NEBOSH National Level 6 Diploma for Occupational Health and Safety Management Professionals in February 2024, followed by the NEBOSH National Diploma in Environmental Management in September 2024. These were challenging qualifications — demanding, intense, and at times overwhelming — but they taught me discipline, resilience, and how to think strategically under pressure.

One of the things I value most about NEBOSH is the structure of its assessments. The scenario-based exams reflect real-world situations. You are placed in realistic environments and expected to think and act like a competent health and safety professional — identifying problems, analysing risks, and proposing practical solutions. It mirrors the reality of the role and encourages true understanding. It isn’t about memorising content; it’s about critical thinking, attention to detail, and applying technical knowledge in context.

What impact did achieving these three qualifications have on your career?

After achieving my Diploma qualifications, my career progressed faster than I expected. I became competitive in the job market and began receiving opportunities that, only a few years earlier, I could never have imagined. I secured a senior health and safety role at an upper-tier COMAH site — something I had always aspired to. I’ve always been fascinated by high-hazard and chemical environments, but I never expected to reach that point so quickly. My qualifications played a huge part in making that possible.

I completed my degree and graduated in January 2026, achieving First Class Honours and receiving the Best in the Year Award. Walking across the stage at my University of Hull graduation ceremony, I knew I was leaving with far more than qualifications. I had gained confidence, strategic thinking skills, advanced technical knowledge, and a strong professional network of like-minded people.

Within four years of achieving my NEBOSH General Certificate and securing an entry-level role, I became a Director of a health and safety consultancy company (Pro-Vision HSE), which I co‑founded with one of my fellow students. If anything demonstrates the impact of the BSc (Hons) Health, Safety and Environmental Management degree at the University of Hull, in partnership with NEBOSH, it’s that.

And yet, this is not the end of my journey. The spark to learn and grow is still very much alive. Completing my degree and achieving Diploma-level qualifications has opened more doors than I ever imagined. I am now looking toward the next step — pursuing an MSc. With the qualifications I’ve achieved, there are many pathways available to me, and I now have the confidence to choose a direction that truly aligns with my ambitions. What started as curiosity during a single training course has grown into a lifelong commitment to learning and professional development.

This journey was not easy. It required commitment, discipline, resilience, and consistency. Our very first lecture began with a full classroom — only four of us completed the degree. It was tough, but was it worth it? Absolutely. It was the most challenging thing I have ever done, and without question, the most rewarding.

What advice would you give to others wanting to pursue a career in health and safety?

There is often debate about whether qualifications are everything. Practical experience is undeniably important, but true competence is built on both education and experience. Meaningful opportunities to gain experience tend to follow high‑quality training.

If you are considering NEBOSH but feel unsure, intimidated, or uncertain about where it could take you, I was once in exactly the same position. Every journey starts with a single step — and for me, that step was the NEBOSH National General Certificate.

NEBOSH qualifications are not easy, but that is precisely their strength. They challenge you, develop your thinking, and prepare you for the realities of the profession.

Your background does not define your limits — whether that’s your role, your industry, or even your language. English is not my first language; it is my third, and I completed every stage of this journey in English. If I can do it, you can too.