How to Choose a NEBOSH Course Provider

So you’ve decided to do a NEBOSH course and you’re on your journey to becoming a health and safety expert; the next step is to find the right course provider for you. How do you decide with whom to do your NEBOSH course? Choosing the right training provider is fundamental; a good NEBOSH course provider will dramatically influence not only passing your qualification but also being confident to use your health and safety knowledge back in the workplace.

Take on board the following pointers and ask these questions to potential course providers so you can compare and review their replies and choose the best one for you.

Research the Market

A good starting place is to ask people who have had some contact with NEBOSH training, for recommendations. Of course, do some online research: review the NEBOSH website that list all course providers and web links, globally, and you can filter by course, learning method and location. On the different training providers’ websites look at the NEBOSH courses information and their offering. Check out the course provider’s credentials: NEBOSH background and experience, recognised awards of quality i.e. ISO quality, learners’ comments and experiences.

What is the training company's NEBOSH Learning Provider Status?

NEBOSH has recently introduced a learning provider standard which is a quality assurance programme. It promotes a commitment to learning excellence and continually improving the learning experience for people studying the NEBOSH qualifications. When you choose your learning provider, an important question to ask is, what is their learning provider status? Gold, silver or bronze. They will have a logo to show which status they have been awarded. 

There are 3 levels: bronze, silver and gold. Each NEBOSH learning provider all over the world, has been given a status by NEBOSH. This accreditation is based on how they meet/exceed the 6 learning excellence principles:

Ways to Take a NEBOSH Course. Course providers that offer choice on when, where and how to take your course will provide you with the benefit of flexibility.

Trainers’ Experience and Qualifications

If you choose to do a classroom course, the strength of the tutor’s training competency and experience of getting people successfully through NEBOSH courses is paramount. Find out who your NEBOSH tutor(s) are from the possible course provider; check out if their profile is on the website or LinkedIn. Ask about their professional background, how long they have been a NEBOSH tutor for and what their qualifications are. Are they a Chartered Member of IOSH (CMIOSH)? Do they have any training qualifications? Competent tutors can make or break your NEBOSH learning experience.

How is the Classroom or Online Training Structured?

Classroom training

Find out the format of the NEBOSH classroom course. How does the trainer present information/concepts? Is there interaction among the learners, discussions, question and answer sessions? How much group work is there? Are typical and relevant workplace scenarios used so you can use what you’ve learnt and check if you’ve understood the concept? It’s important that you are able to also apply your learning back in the workplace as well as answer NEBOSH exam questions.

Online training

Find out if the courses are hosted on a Learning Management System (LMS) and what this LMS offers you as a learner.

• Is the LMS easy-to-use so you can find your way around?
• Is the course content interactive with lots of multimedia activities such as video, audio, quizzes etc.?
• Are there progress checks throughout the course so you know if you are on track?
• Are there regular questions and feedback based on real workplace examples?

There is nothing more mind-numbing than having to read a mass of text on screen. Course interaction is key to effective online learning and will help you understand and remember key concepts.

Trial the NEBOSH Course

Make sure you get a free online trial of the NEBOSH course to check you like how it’s presented and the level of interaction and understanding of the course content. For classroom courses, ask for a sample of their course materials. 

Support on Your NEBOSH Course

Find out what level of tutor and online IT support is offered and how? Particularly for online learning, you need some tutor interaction online or via the phone in order to guide you. Are there online discussion forums with NEBOSH tutor input, webinars on topics, revision etc.?

How Does the Course Provider Prepare You for the NEBOSH Exams?

If you want to pass your NEBOSH qualification, you need plenty of practice in exam questions. Ask the potential course provider if you’re given typical exam questions to practise and provided with feedback on their answers. Do you try out timed exam questions and are they marked with guidance on how to improve? Exam question practice is fundamental to preparing you to pass your NEBOSH exams.

NEBOSH Exam Pass Rates

It’s probably the most important question you can ask – what are your NEBOSH pass rates? Be specific when you pose the question to a possible provider for example – what are their typical pass rates for the NEBOSH Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety and how do they compare to the current NEBOSH average pass rate? Any good course provider will have this data readily available. The current NEBOSH Certificate exam pass rate is 75%.

Taking a NEBOSH course is a big investment of your own or employer’s money and your time, so get these questions answered so you can collect facts from possible course providers to help you choose the best one for you. 

This blog post was updated in September 2019 to reflect the new NEBOSH learning partner programme.