How Hard Is It to Achieve the NEBOSH Diploma Qualification?

It is fair to say that the NEBOSH Diploma is one of the most prestigious qualifications for a health and safety practitioner to hold. It has long been established as an internationally recognised standard of knowledge and expertise, with more than 10,000 students now having achieved the qualification since its inception in 1988. Often it is considered a very hard health and safety qualification to achieve, but is that an accurate assessment?

The current NEBOSH Diploma syllabus broadly equates to a Bachelors Degree. The health and safety awarding body IOSH recognise this qualification as meeting the requirements for Graduate Membership, whilst IIRSM recognise it as meeting the requirements for full membership. Any qualification at this level is inevitably going to be hard to achieve, so supposedly the answer to the question is: yes. But is that the end of the story?

For a qualification to really mean something it has to be hard to achieve, whether it's in health and safety or any other industry for that matter. This shows that those who hold the qualification have really achieved something. Every person who has achieved the NEBOSH Diploma can certainly stand proud and say they have achieved a high standard of knowledge and expertise in health and safety.

So we have said the qualification is hard to achieve, but is it too hard to achieve? The answer to that question is very much down to each individual student who takes the qualification. There is no clear answer to this, as it is firmly a case of you getting out what you put in. Achieving the NEBOSH Diploma does require active involvement in the course, a significant degree of self studying, and good exam preparation. It is a different type of qualification entirely to a health and safety NVQ for instance, which involves evidence-gathering from those already in a health and safety role.

Any good health and safety training centre will also provide ongoing help and support throughout the study period to support your learning. This is a key question to ask of any potential provider you look at, as it is a crucial component in the achievement (or not) of the qualification.

So anyone considering going in for the NEBOSH Diploma will need to do some research beforehand, and before parting with any money! Look at what is involved, the support from the provider, the benefits when you achieve it etc. If you can commit to the hard work needed then go for it. There is no doubt that when it pays off, and you pass the NEBOSH Diploma, you will have achieved something to be very proud of.