What qualification could I do?

timg147

Hi All,

Im currently looking for a new position. My background is broadly in Purchasing, Inventory and IT support. Obviously my job searches have been based on my work experience, however I am also open to a career change should the right opportunity arise.
Since obtaining a degree back in the 90's, I have work based experience but no real work qualifications as such. I have been considering what qualifications I could undertake and am thinking possibly along the lines of something general that could be used in a number of roles - such as a Microsoft Office qualification (as good 'Office' skills are often listed in Job adverts) or a Nebosh Health and Safety Qualification as everywhere needs that to a certain extent.

My question is, can anyone else suggest any other good qualifications or courses to undertake? I would be funding it myself and initially I would think maybe up to a years duration.

Thanks in advance

MalMonroe

NVQs seem to be accepted everywhere and seem to have qualifications in many subjects.
However, you could carry out your own google search to find out that information. That would also, to my mind, show any employer that you have some initiative. 

Jillanddy

In all honesty,  I wouldn't find either of those attractive. We have specialists in health and safety, and we expect people to be competent in MS software anyway.  Its hard to say without knowing more about what your have actually done and your skill set,  but right now we put more stock in NVQs for career staff. Management. Leadership. Or something career orientated

timg147

Thanks MalMonroe and Jillanddy,

Well thanks a great start anyway, you both suggested NVQ's and I was probably going down the totally wrong track in the first place. I had very very briefly looked at NVQ's previously but having spent my working life at only two main companies over thirty years (albeit in a variety of roles) I am a bit detached from the current market and wasnt sure what employers look for.

If anybody else wants to throw their thoughts in please go ahead.

I will be looking into NVQ's most definitely.

strawb_shortcake

If you have experience in Purchasing have you consider Chartering Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS) you could do level 4 in a year alongside working and progress upwards if you wanted and in your own time. 
Level 6 is equivalent to  a Bachelor's degree 

timg147

OK, so I have quickly looked at the NVQ route. The main issue I can see straight away is that it includes work based assessment. In my current role this maybe difficult, I made a poor choice moving into this role and whilst the pay has been reasonable (with plenty of overtime) and very local to home its not what I want to be doing and there are almost no opportunities for progression. I can do everything requested / required of me and more, I have no challenges or room to grow so to speak. 

annabanana82 - I have considered this on many occasions. After a couple of shop floor production roles, I moved into a stores supervisor role in a manufacturing company, then into a IT support / SAP support role before taking on purchasing as an additional responsibility covering for long term sick. With this same company I eventually became Purchasing Manager - encompassing purchasing, stock control and also spare part sales. This is where most of my experience lies and was something I enjoyed / made me tick.

oh_really

You do realise the NGC is no more than a introduction, especially now its been watered down. Factor in there is a glut of experienced H&S professionals into the job marketplace, this may not be a good move at the moment.
If you wish to complete it for personal development, fine, but I wouldn't head down that path with high expectations of a career move happening anytime soon.
Dickie Donkin would be the one to speak with as he is in this field, however I've not come across him for a while.

elsien

You are correct that with NVQ you need to be doing the work so that your competence in it can be  assessed.

Is the problem that you’re not doing what needs to be covered in your current role, or that for some reason the assessments couldn’t be fitted in?  

There is some scope for witness testimony from managers or colleagues but it is still very much “this is what I did, this is the reason why, this was the end result.” You can get away with a bit of “this is what I would do” if a relevant situation doesn’t arise, but not for the whole qualification. 

timg147

I wasn't expecting the NGC to lead to a full blown H&S position, It was more of an additional string to my bow so to speak. In past positions and also reading job adverts, there is often a requirement to have H&S knowledge or to be able to do risk assessments etc. It was just a thought as to what I could undertake whilst searching for another position.

timg147

I think its more a case of the former, I'm not really doing what would need to be covered in my current role. 

theoretica

That seems a great start - looking at job ads and especially the detailed specifications to see where anything is asked for and whether you have it or not. 

But I know all our job specifications mention health and safety and hardly any would find nebosh a significant advantage at recruitment over some experience writing risk assessments and following them.