Since 1989, when the National General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety (NGC) was introduced, almost 300,000 people around the world have passed this qualification.

The reasons why this certification has become a must-have for whoever is working in the Health and Safety sector, from managers to workers, is related to two noteworthy figures:

• 87% of UK HSE vacancies require a NEBOSH qualification.
• The cost of workplace injuries and ill-health to UK business is over £15 billion per year.

NEBOSH has recently unveiled the new updated National General Certificate qualification, which is more learner-friendly and better reflects the needs of the modern workplace. The make-over of the qualification is derived from the input of 3,000 sector leading experts and top employers, who listed in detail what they wanted their employees to know and do to make their organisations safer.

Ian Taylor, NEBOSH Chief Executive, has clarified that the refreshed qualification doesn’t only meet the needs of H&S companies, but of the learners that it’s designed to serve, providing them with capability, credibility, confidence as well as career progression.

The changes NEBOSH have put in place relates to both the syllabus and the assessment:

• The syllabus has been developed and reviewed following an extensive consultation with key stakeholders, notably Learning Partners, employers, standards-setting organisations, past and present learners and subject experts. The qualification is focused on current real-world needs, hazards and situations found in the workplace. What managers and workers will learn is how to identify key risk areas in their organisation and operate on an action plan, supporting the health and safety culture in their company.
• The National General Certificate is now split in two units instead of three. These units, called NG1 and NG2, consist of a practical exam and a question paper, which will assess learners on both what they know and what they can do. Furthermore, the practical is a risk assessment which can be undertaken in the learners’ workplace.

Ian Taylor has also specified how risk management is central to the new-look certificate: “Risk management is a key part of the role for anyone with health and safety responsibilities. Thanks to our practical focus on the real, everyday risks that people encounter, our learners will learn how to identify and manage these risks so they provide real value to their employers – protecting people and protecting profits”.

Jarrold Training is a gold partner of NEBOSH, continuously delivering Health & Safety courses with the belief these qualifications are not expensive, but priceless.

Full list of NEBOSH courses we offer