Diploma Done: Over-All thoughts (Mine Only)

[grooveywordbender]

As the title indicates! That's me folks:done, dusted and just a little drained!

Four years (+) it has taken to successfully complete the NEBOSH Diploma and what a journey! Let me give a very brief resume, so that it may encourage others (or not, depending on your take on life) or assist with making an informed choice.

Unit A - First time pass which encouraged me no end!
Unit B - First time refer (43) second time refer (38), third time pass taken with Unit C (C refer).
Unit C - Fourth time pass (last week) -EAR on refer #2 at (unsuccessful on a 43) and a Cohort Study (Also on a 43) to see where I was going wrong (waste of time and money).
Unit D - First time pass.

Order- A D B and C Total exams = Nine (Yes 9)

Background: Full time employment in a H&S role; married; children both grown up who don't live at home. Have been in some form of continuous study all my adult life. Hold 2 x Level 7 (Masters Degree) Diplomas and a Foundation Degree. NGC and NCC both passed with Distinction 10 years ago. I have held training positions for at least half of my working career. So very familiar with the concepts of Training Needs Analysis, Learning Objectives and Learning Outcomes. Blended learning (Don't do it!)

Where to begin? I nearly gave up (not just saying it) three times (once with Unit B and then twice further with unit C ) and had decided that, if I was unsuccessful this time I was going down the NVQ route despite having 3 exams under my belt.

Is it coincidence that the less subjective Units (A and D) where my most successful! I think not- my anylitical mind responded to reasonably set up questions, criteria and facts. The other two...I feel that the level of subjectivity with the exams, is beyond the pale. The readers' interpretation of the questions could be wide however, the marking schedule narrow. To fail to understand what it is you think the examiner is asking, means that the question is not a good one. The questions surely exist to provide a mechanism which which to set up the student to document the 100's of hours of research down onto paper, not to test their interpretation of a veiled question. Too often they were/are written to confuse and out-wit the reader (and I am not alone in thinking this). To quote Confucius: "If what is written, is not what is meant, then what is meant shall never be understood".

The Diploma is supposed to sit at Degree level! I challenge any individual to actively pursue any course of study at this level and fail (not refer...it's a fail) to reach the required standards as often and consistently as individuals taking these exams appear to. To regularly put in Examiner' reports that: "students did not appear prepared" or "there appeared to be confusion" indicates a systemic failure to set up the student for success by the controlling body and/or the service provider!

I am happy it is over...truly! I have my life back now and that gnawing feeling in the pit of my stomach that I used to get every time I thought about yet more potentially futile study*, has gone!

Has it increased my knowledge...yes without a shadow of doubt through studying the subjects. Has it built a foundation on which to actively employ those findings and learnings in the real world...nope! It has been purely an academic exercise and there remains a massive "missing" in the translation of those Key H&S components into the workspace environment. This Diploma certainly does not equip individuals to go into the "field" and Manage H&S if that is what you are looking for...my advice: get some experience and go down the NVQ route coupled with management training. The "Real World" subject is too important to be left to those whom have been able to simply translate books into "Bosh".

* The futility was not knowing how to "NEBOSH" the volumes of acquired knowledge.

The GWB

Sent from my iPad

[Alexis]

Wow! Excellent thoughts GMB. Many thanks and huge on your perseverance and ultimate success.

[grooveywordbender]

Thank you Alexis, you're very kind. I should also state for the record, that I utilised loads of great stuff on here and would offer up my appreciation to all those sefless individuals who have contributed to the excellent knowledge library.

[Alexis]

I should also state for the record, that I utilised loads of great stuff on here and would offer up my appreciation to all those selfless individuals who have contributed to the excellent knowledge library.

Hear, hear! Thank you for your acknowledgement GWB.

[apf]

That’s a really good summary of my thoughts on the whole process as well! I was further hindered by a provider that offered nothing more than some course notes riddled with errors and an exam booking service.

I was glad to get the Diploma finished, and learnt an awful lot along the way, but really don’t feel that the whole NEBOSH process “makes” a good SHE professional at the end of it.

But having the qualification did get me my dream job, so the big dark cloud had a massive silver lining!

[bernicarey]

I was further hindered by a provider that offered nothing more than some course notes riddled with errors and an exam booking service.

Sounds like you used the same provider that I did!
The classic I'll always remember was the Construction notes that spoke of marking excavations with red oil lamps, like they hadn't gone out of use some 30-40 years previously!

[Thunderchild]

I was further hindered by a provider that offered nothing more than some course notes riddled with errors and an exam booking service.

Sounds like you used the same provider that I did!
The classic I'll always remember was the Construction notes that spoke of marking excavations with red oil lamps, like they hadn't gone out of use some 30-40 years previously!

Yep, mine to!

[laurae]

GWB

Your timescale and results sound very similar to mine as well! A and D caused me least problems, B not too bad but C was my absolute nemesis!

Over the years I've now realised I want the diploma only to help me start a MSC in occupational health. The diploma might be partly to blame but the safety side I have little interest in now, I want to focus more on the health aspect.

This will be the first Christmas in many years revision free!

Well done for completing, the graduation really does feel like the cherry on top and i'm in awe of those that pass with distinction

[JillyJo]

Great post! This also seems to reflect a lot of my experiences - 2 attempts at unit A (passed on EAR regrading on second attempt) , passed unit b on third attempt and unit c on first attempt and have just received my pass for unit d on first attempt - the diploma has taken me 4 years , a lot of money and an enormous amount of studying . Was it worth it ? Yes . This was a lot harder than my degree to achieve and i am proud of myself even though I felt like giving up several times along the way. Prior to this course I had never failed an exam in my life and usually achieved high marks so this was a bit of a shock to the system.

This site was a fantastic resource and cannot recommend it enough to others starting out on their NEBOSH journey. Right, off to start my chartership journey !

[Alexis]

Great post! This also seems to reflect a lot of my experiences - 2 attempts at unit A (passed on EAR regrading on second attempt) , passed unit b on third attempt and unit c on first attempt and have just received my pass for unit d on first attempt - the diploma has taken me 4 years , a lot of money and an enormous amount of studying . Was it worth it ? Yes . This was a lot harder than my degree to achieve and i am proud of myself even though I felt like giving up several times along the way. Prior to this course I had never failed an exam in my life and usually achieved high marks so this was a bit of a shock to the system.

This site was a fantastic resource and cannot recommend it enough to others starting out on their NEBOSH journey. Right, off to start my chartership journey !

Welcome aboard JillyJo. Fantastic news and great introduction which will help others keep going when feeling that NEBOSH drip on the head.

[joey030486]

Great post and congratulations! I relate only too well to that "gnawing feeling in the pit of my stomach" being a third of the way through Unit A........ and can't agree more that 80% of passing any NEBOSH qualification isn't the application and test of knowledge learnt, but actually having the ability to decipher a NEBOSH question and truly understand what it is the examiner is asking! Its mental!

Your post however has spurred me on to get to the end (of Unit A at least!!) so that I can post a similar victory dance! Enjoy your free time and life living and congratulations again!

[Alexis]

Great post and congratulations! I relate only too well to that "gnawing feeling in the pit of my stomach" being a third of the way through Unit A........ and can't agree more that 80% of passing any NEBOSH qualification isn't the application and test of knowledge learnt, but actually having the ability to decipher a NEBOSH question and truly understand what it is the examiner is asking! Its mental!

Your post however has spurred me on to get to the end (of Unit A at least!!) so that I can post a similar victory dance! Enjoy your free time and life living and congratulations again!

Joey, maybe some help in our downloads for you or your FB Group. https://www.healthandsafetytips.co.uk/d ... h-specific