Choosing to study an advanced health and safety qualification such as the NEBOSH Diploma represents an investment in yourself and your career. Keith Forman completed his NEBOSH Diploma using the Blended Learning method to allow him fit his studies around his job and family – he spoke to ACT about the highs and lows of his experience and what advice he would give to those considering the same.

What is your current job role and what does it involve?

In my role as an Industrial Safety Engineer at EDF Energy, I provide expert advice and leadership to ensure conventional and process safety arrangements meet both company and legislative requirements, as well as regulatory expectations. My responsibilities include monitoring compliance, supporting risk management, investigating incidents, delivering continual improvement, and driving a strong safety culture across operational power generation sites. I started my current role in power generation towards the end of completing the NEBOSH Diploma; previously I’ve worked in general and hazardous manufacturing, construction, oil and gas exploration and extraction, telecommunications, and in the military.

You’ve also completed the NEBOSH General Certificate – how was the transition from Certificate to Diploma-level study?

Since completing the NEBOSH General Certificate, I’d been working as a safety professional for over 10 years in different industry sectors before taking the leap to embark on the NEBOSH Diploma. Although it was initially daunting to go back to higher-level education whilst working full time and having a young family, I found my personal learning during that time helped bridge what is a significant gap between the certificate and diploma levels.  In retrospect I feel I should have completed the diploma sooner, though having more than 10 years of safety management experience in varying environments was invaluable towards successfully completing the Diploma.

What aspect of the Blended Learning course did you find most beneficial?

Although blended learning wasn’t my preferred choice, the flexibility that comes from mostly self-directed learning suited the demands of my work and family life and the restrictions that came with it. That said, the most beneficial aspect was, by far, the support from the tutors and office staff at ACT. Everyone I engaged with at ACT were incredibly knowledgeable, supportive, and empathetic. Without their expert advice, guidance, and support I don’t think I would have been successful in completing the Diploma through blended learning.

How did you approach your assessments, and did your approach change at all as you took each assessment?

The best advice I was given was to prepare an electronic library of relevant resources before the assessments take place. To read, and more importantly to understand, those resources put me in the best position possible to recognise what the assessments are asking and to find the information I needed when I needed it.

For the assessments themselves, I did nothing before I had read through the scenarios several times until I was confident that I fully appreciated both the obvious and hidden information. It was only then I started to plan and draft my answers, targeting what I perceived to be the more straightforward questions first to try and earn some quick points and gain confidence.  If there was a calculation question, I found that answering those first helped get over any pre-assessment nerves.

When writing my answers, for the sake of clarity and brevity, I found it best to stick to the ‘point, evidence, explain’ method wherever possible.

How did you approach the balance of your career, your studies, and your personal commitments?

In all honesty, it was with great difficulty that I was able to balance my studies with my work and family life. I found balance was only possible with good planning, and I cannot stress enough the importance of communication with those who will both support you and be affected by you committing to the Diploma.

Changing work priorities, changing jobs, family illnesses, childcare, family events, competing schedules, lack of sleep, personal crisis, and wanting to spend as much time as possible with my wife and kids were all conflicting with the need to study. As a result, my study plan failed many times, but the plan was there which meant it could be adapted quickly.

My wife. It’s not a cliché to say I couldn’t have done it without my wife, who had to work a lot harder than I did to pick up everything I wasn’t doing at home throughout the diploma.  She also kept me in lollipops and coffee for the long nights during assessment weeks.

What advice would you give others considering starting their Diploma through Blended Learning?

There is no ‘perfect time’ to complete the NEBOSH Diploma as something will always be in the way, so don’t be tempted to put it off; get on and do it as soon as the opportunity is there.

However, make sure you have your eyes open on how demanding it is and always have a plan.

Do you have any final thoughts to share on your journey?

The NEBOSH Diploma was a big commitment, though it was absolutely worth doing for professional recognition and career advancement. For the best chance of success, I can’t imagine there’s a training provider who could have given me better support than ACT.