Deciding to have a career change in your 40’s is certainly a big decision to make. However, this wasn’t going to stop me as I had got all that I can out of my 22 years in the automotive industry. Therefore, I took the plunge and here I am now, writing my first blog as a Health & Safety consultant.
So, how did I decide health and safety was for me? Well, I knew I wanted a career rather than just a job, I wanted progression in an industry that was only going to grow and grow, I wanted to fully utilise my skill set that I had built up over the years and I wanted to gain qualifications to run along side my knowledge of the job role.
Therefore, I researched the qualifications I needed to pursue a career in health and safety. I self-funded and gained my IOSH Managing Safely Level 2 and NEBOSH National General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety Level 3.
Then it was time for me to find someone who wanted to take on a trainee in the health and safety world, someone who was willing to take me under their wing and show me the ropes. This is when I found Hayley at Chameleon Safety Services (or she found me!).
The thought of an interview did bring on the nerves it had been 6 years since I had been for an interview, and it was for a job in an industry that was all new to me. So, I had a little talk to myself and just thought, be yourself Sophie, you’ve got this! The following day Hayley offered me the position of Health & Safety Consultant for Chameleon Safety Services.
So, here we are now two months in, and all is going very well in my new career and I have certainly learnt a lot! Hayley is a font of knowledge and is passing this on to me every day. Some days it can be information overload (I am a woman in my 40’s after all which brings its own personal challenges) which can make me feel a little overwhelmed but with reassurance from Hayley that I’m doing a great job this puts my mind at ease.
On a personal note, I have somehow managed to get over my fear of heights after being 27 floors up on a client’s construction site carrying out site inspections. I have been writing up risk assessments and putting my NEBOSH knowledge to the test! That’s just the first two months! There’s lots more to learn and experience which I’m certainly looking forward too.
If you are thinking is a career change for you, based on my experience I would say yes, it is! You are never too old to learn new skills and overcome new challenges (or fears).
Written by: Sophie Payne
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