Experiential route
A new way to achieve Certified and Chartered membership
Do you have significant leadership experience in occupational safety and health (OSH)? Would you like to progress your IOSH membership to Certified or Chartered status without completing OSH qualifications?
Then our new experiential route is perfect for you.
Who is it for?
Our route is designed for Affiliate and Technical Members who have between five and 10 years’ relevant leadership experience in an OSH role but don’t have an IOSH-accredited Level 6 or 7 OSH qualification.
What does it involve?
The process is split into three stages for Certified applicants and four for Chartered.
- Knowledge assessment – verify your level of understanding against IOSH’s competencies, which will determine whether you progress to Certified or Chartered membership.
- Portfolio of evidence – produce evidence for eight of the 12 areas of competency in our competency framework (behavioural competencies are mandatory).
- Professional discussion paper – provide details about your background, choices of evidence, reflective statement on overall progression route, professional insights and vision for your future, and contribution to OSH practice.
- Professional discussion interview (Chartered candidates only) – talk to IOSH assessors, via video, about all the above.
How will IOSH assess me?
We will use the Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL) process. This gives credit to learning acquired from a range of experiences that hasn’t been previously assessed and accredited by an academic institution or professional organisation. Skills, knowledge and abilities developed in this way can be equal to those gained on formal education courses.
How long does it take to complete?
We estimate three to six months. Once registered, you will have six months to complete the process, or you will have to re-register.
Anything else I need to know?
If you’re progressing to Chartered membership, you need to complete and pass IOSH Ethical Practice in OSH e-learning and assessment – part of our Blueprint package. However, we encourage all members to do this.
What support is available?
You will receive feedback from the assessors when completing your assessment. You can also gain advice and support from an IOSH mentor.
Experiential route – register your interest
The experiential route is suitable for Affiliate and Technical members with significant OSH leadership experience but without a Level 6 or 7 OSH qualification. Fill out the form below to register your interest.