Making my way into Safety

You need to get a job! 

Start earning, pay board and get into the job world. 

As a council estate girl, this was my (and many others) reality. 

It wasn't that family wasn't supportive, it just wasn't spoken about, just the way it was done. 

With hearing difficulties throughout school and attention problems, I passed with 1 grade above a C. 

I fell into retail, admin and some low paid roles but I always had a yearning to learn. I could apply myself, was passionate and ironically, academic. 

From 17 I dreamt about being a 'proper professional' and could wear a suit and take a briefcase to work. I wanted to be 'qualified' in something but I had no idea what. 

And I couldn't do it anyway, council estate girl with no grades or money. 

I was always looking for ways to progress, but knew I needed study and there weren't really night schools and going back to college or uni wasn't an option as I couldn't afford to drop income, plus I didn't qualify for any free learning, so thousands on top for that too. 

No one in my immediate family had ever stayed on, or got a degree. 

I did find something I was good at though and spent several years in administration and as a Contracts Secretary before realising there wasn't really anywhere else for me to go in that job.

I had confided in my boss in 2014 and explained I needed change. I knew I needed a job where I could gain a real qualification and I loved compliance & conformance, but didn't know what that looked like as a role. 

I knew my shortlist was: 

• I didn't want to be in the office 5 days a week anymore.

• I thought food hygiene inspector but ruled it out as I didn't want a job where no one liked me.

• I really didn't want to be working out in the cold or with really early mornings.

  
  

That was it really. 

"What about the H&S role H?", my boss said to me one day.

It clicked... THAT WAS IT!!! 

I realised it ticked every box I had been looking for, for this mystery career change! 

Without further ado, we approached the MD, registered my interest and by June 2015 I had completed my SMSTS, IOSH Managing Safely and my NEBOSH General. 

I then realised at this point that I needed to spread my wings. Get out, get experienced and LEARN

This early on I knew it would be difficult to make a good, experienced H&S Advisor without exposure.

With no NEBOSH result, 2 interviews and a presentation later, I accepted my first 'true' H&S role in 2015. 

It's 10 years this year and in 2021 I started Chameleon Safety Services Ltd 

Our fast paced, successful, forward thinking business is 4 next week

I don't know how. 

I had never run a business before.

Now I have a job where many don't like you, out in the cold and regularly up early! 

I still have the picture in my head of what the 'business woman' I wanted to be. 

Little did I know it looks like this sometimes too. 

This is my business suit and I'll wear it

Written by: Hayley Tollervey