It’s true that health and safety courses require an investment of your time, effort and potentially money, but if you complete these training programmes, you can be confident that your hard work will be rewarded. After all, safety is an issue that no firm can afford to ignore and so these skills are highly prized by employers. If you still need to be convinced, consider the following benefits.
Enhance your prospects
Firstly, think about the advantages that these courses could bring to you in terms of your career prospects. Whether you’re thinking of specialising in health and safety roles or you want to be a manager or supervisor, enhancing your risk management skills could play a major role in helping you land the right roles. There are a number of different courses on offer and to reap maximum rewards, you’ll need to pick the programmes that are most relevant to your requirements. From certificates and diplomas from the National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health (NEBOSH) to courses set by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH), there is no shortage of options. You can find out more about the available training programmes by visiting specialist sites such as www.sheilds.org.
Once you have these qualifications, you may find that more job opportunities open up to you and your earning potential increases.
Make your workplace safer
Taking these courses can also give you the satisfaction of knowing that you’re helping to make your workplace safer. Although danger levels for employees in the UK have fallen over recent decades, risks do remain. Figures provided by the Health and Safety Executive show that in 2013-14, a total of 28.2 million working days were lost as a result of work-related illness and injury. Even more alarmingly, 142 people lost their lives at work during this 12 month period. By raising your safety knowledge and skills, you can do your bit to ensure that you and your colleagues don’t add to these statistics.
Boost your confidence and job satisfaction
Safety training should also mean you are better equipped to complete your tasks and, because of this, it can help to boost your confidence. In addition, it may raise your levels of job satisfaction. A poll of employers conducted by the Institute of Directors revealed that 88 per cent thought qualifications helped to enhance staff motivation. The survey also suggested that employees who gained formal qualifications felt more valued and supported by and engaged with their organisations.
Given the myriad benefits associated with safety training, it’s not hard to see why these courses are proving popular.