Is health and safety a good career in 2021?
Finding a career that offers good chances for progression and fulfilment can be challenging, especially in a tough economic climate. Often it comes to a matter of what the economy is after, and health and safety jobs have seen a steady increase in demand over the last few years.
A ‘health and safety job‘ whilst being fairly niche can apply to a range of different roles within the EHS sphere. These can include top-level director roles (EHS Director, Director of Well-being) all the way through to health and safety officers and coordinators.
Health and safety is a rewarding career
Finding ‘something to get out of bed for in the morning’ is a big challenge in many careers, but health and safety can help you do just that.
Many professionals within the safety sphere do it because they are passionate about getting the most out of people in an organisation and improving their lives.
Yes, there is a compliance aspect to all areas of health and safety but organisations are increasingly becoming aware that health and safety can provide a real competitive advantage.
The opportunity for progression within health and safety is also a reason why it is a very popular career choice. Slowly the stereotypes of health and safety are being eroded with people realising how rewarding the career can be in the long term.
You could also have the opportunity to make a real difference for the workforce within some major companies. Tech titans like Google and industry titans like Shell all need health and safety departments that manage the safety and well-being of their workers.
Make sure you are ready for a career in safety
If you are looking to make a career move into health and safety, make sure you are ready. Whilst the field is rewarding, it can come with some added stresses given the nature of the work and the potential level of responsibility in the organisation.
Earning your stripes through hands-on experience and working through the qualifications of Nebosh and IOSH will help prepare you for this rewarding next step in your career.