NEBOSH Apprenticeship is all about the drive of NEBOSH (National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health) to create an environment where unskilled but enthusiastic upcoming Occupational Health and Safety professionals can learn on the job while working to acquire the necessary certifications.
This drive can be confirmed in the official NEBOSH website where they publish some case study on Apprenticeship opportunities:
- CASE STUDY: Lee Broadbent- Calderdale MBC
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CASE STUDY: Faye Harrison
Here is a brief excerpts of Lee Broadbent- Calderdale MBC
According to figures from the House of Commons, around 120,000 people under the age of 19 start their working careers as an apprentice in England every year. But what about health and safety? How many school leavers find a full time Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) role through an apprenticeship programme?
In fact, Lee Broadbent and his employers Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council (MBC) say they have done quite a bit of asking around and they don’t know of any other health and safety personnel who began their career as a school-leaving apprentice.
READ: Free Online Safety Courses: Where & How To Enroll
Lee joined Calderdale MBC at the age of 18 four years ago, after gaining four A levels. His Grades were two A stars, one A and one B, but he surprised everyone by deciding not to go to university and to look for an apprenticeship instead.
“It’s difficult as a young person applying for jobs, because employers want experience,” Lee told us. “But how can you get experience if nobody will offer you a job?”
That is the sole aim of the NEBOSH Apprenticeship, gaining experience which is very very important; it helps avoid employing half baked professionals.
Way Forward on NEBOSH Apprenticeship
Some persons, organizations and the government have become aware of the need for apprenticeship. This is why some structures has been put in place, like;
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Airbus group:
In their page they have a section for Apprentice and Pupil, this is to give the unskilled opportunity to learn on the job.
A job shared in their page – Safety, Health and Environment Apprentice
Description of the role: You will be part of the Airbus Environment Health and Safety team and will be predominantly based at our Filton site near Bristol. This is a multi skilled team of professionals covering Health, Safety, Occupational Health, Industrial Hygiene and Environment. On completion of the apprenticeship (L3 Safety, Health and Environment Technician + NEBOSH Certificate), Airbus will fully fund the candidate through their academic development to the Chartership level of the Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH).
Apprentice will be expected to:
- Have achieved or be working towards 5 GCSE’s A*- C including English and Maths as well as having knowledge to level 1 equivalent for commonly used office computer applications.
- Have a pragmatic, can do attitude that enables and supports our internal customers.
If you notice, the requirement is very minimal.
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Gov.UK
The UK Government provides funding to eligible organizations to train apprentices under Register of Apprenticeship Training Providers (RoATP).
Who can join the register of apprenticeship training providers?
You can join if you are either:
- a training provider (under certain conditions)
or
- a levy paying employer provider
How can training providers join the register?
They need to be invited to apply by the Education Skills Funding Agency (ESFA).
There are two application routes – these are set out in detail below.
In each case, a provider must meet some conditions to get an invitation:
- they need to be able to fill a training gap where there is currently no, or not enough training available (a gap in provision)
and
- they must be nominated by an employer as a preferred provider, via a business case (this can only happen when an employer can evidence that they cannot source suitable training from an existing provider)
Please note – It is not possible for a training provider to apply directly without the above nomination.
IOSH Apprenticeship
IOSH’s Pathway document details the combination of three readily available IOSH training products and how together they can provide an ideal training package for an apprentice going through the Level 3 Safety, Health and Environment Technician apprenticeship. The skills, knowledge and behaviours required of the apprentice will be taught, and re-affirmed, using different perspectives and in varying depths throughout the course of the training.
For Levy-paying employers in England, there is £5k per apprentice available to cover both training and end point assessment, Non-Levy-paying employers are required to cover 10% of this. The funding can be used to pay for the three IOSH courses, detailed in the pathway. Only £100 is to be payable by the employer for the registration and certification on the Safety and Health for Business qualification.
The IOSH apprenticeship pathway offers additional advantages for students. In addition to the Level 3 Safety, Health and Environment apprenticeship, they will also receive credit for the NCFE IOSH Certificate in Safety and Health for Business qualification, as well as internationally recognised certificates for the Managing Safely and Environment for Business courses.
In order to start providing training for apprentices, you are required to register on the Register of Apprenticeship Training Providers (RoATP). Details of how to apply can be found here.
For information on how to purchase any or all of the three training products to make up the pathway, please contact [email protected].
For additional information, please see our FAQs or pathway document.
In Conclusion
From the case studies and the way forward highlighted above, NEBOSH Apprenticeship is very important and beneficial both to the Occupational Health and Safety apprentice and the organization.
There have been structures for other industries, like the health and engineering industry, but there haven’t been for the Occupational Health and Safety industry.
READ: Safety Certifications Without A Degree; 7 In-Demand Safety Certifications You Can Get
Hence, both organizations and government should create more platform to absorb Occupational Health and Safety apprentice for a common good.
Also Health and Safety Apprentice should pay attention to these opportunities when they come, and maximize it.
