Case Studies

However, when NEBOSH notified Nicola that she had won the brand new ‘Young Person’s Award’ for the NEBOSH National Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety her cautious nature meant she didn’t actually believe it! “I actually thought it was a bogus email,” she told us. “It wasn’t until I spoke to my tutor and she said ‘yes, it’s brilliant isn’t it’ that I realised it was actually for real.”

Nicola proudly received her Award from NEBOSH Chief Executive Teresa Budworth at the Health and Safety Expo in London, as part of an event to celebrate young people in the health and safety profession. It was the culmination of a determined effort by Nicola to gain her NEBOSH Diploma and take a step up the career ladder.

Interestingly, when she graduated with a Masters degree in Environmental Science and Management from York University, health and safety was not Nicola’s first choice of career. Her interest grew during a brief period of work experience at Nestlé. She discovered that environmental management and health and safety often go hand-in-hand. Nicola shadowed a health and safety manager for six months and her interest really began to grow. As a result, she started to look for a permanent position that would give her a foothold in the profession.

She applied for an advertised Health and Safety Trainee position at Gentoo, a housing association in Sunderland, which manages more than 28,000 homes. The company is one of only around 3% of organisations in the UK to have achieved the Investors in People (IIP) Gold Standard. It says the “dedication, skill and energy” of its staff is its key strength.

As part of the recruitment process, the applicants were given a scenario to analyse and then report back on. It was here that Nicola’s thoughtful and considered approach to tasks shone through, and she was offered the position. Gentoo made it clear that they wanted her to progress to become a fully-fledged Health and Safety Advisor, but that this would only happen upon completion of the NEBOSH National Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety. She enrolled straight away on a NEBOSH General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety course as a starting point and passed within a matter of months. She then immediately began her Diploma.

“It was very intense, especially as I had a full time job,” Nicola said. “I am someone who really has to sit and take the time to learn and revise, so it doesn’t come all that easily.” However, her hard work paid off and she passed her Diploma in 2015, whilst achieving the highest mark among all candidates aged 25 years or under.

“The whole NEBOSH experience has been hugely beneficial to me, in terms of everything I have learned, applying that knowledge in a practical sense, and also the recognition I’ve gained. I was promoted to the position of Advisor as soon as I gained my Diploma, which was obviously a huge motivating factor. And with the Award as well, I still can’t quite believe it all to be honest.”

Of perhaps even greater significance for Nicola has been the career progression and job security her time with Gentoo and her NEBOSH qualifications have provided her with. It’s fair to say that it’s all worked out very well for Nicola and it’s great to see young people like her setting out on long-term careers in our incredibly important and vital profession.