I have been working as a safety professional since 2012 and I have to say, I have enjoyed every second of it. I worked for almost 5 years at Bull Arm on the Hebron project as a Safety Coordinator and was promoted to a Safety Lead for the last 2 years. From my time there, I realized that the Safety Engineering Technology course I had completed was not going to be enough to secure a new position when I finished the project.
There were approximately 20 other safety positions in the project and 50% had either zero education, or zero experience and were there because of "who they knew." This could be a parent of a young graduate or a friend of someone who completed their CSO course, or someone who had nothing at all. I was one of the few who completed an interview and never had an inside connection.
I knew as the project started to wind down that I would need something else that others could not obtain in order to separate myself when it came time to look for a new position. It was over a year process, but I pursued my CRSP designation because I knew everyone else either didn't qualify or did not have the drive to put in the work to obtain it. I wrote and successfully passed my exam, and became a certified CRSP in April 2016. It was a long and tedious process, but nothing worth doing is easy and if it was easy, everyone would have it.
I was laid off from the Hebron Project in November 2016 and because of my CRSP designation and the experience I had obtained from my previous job, I was quickly able to obtain a consulting position at St. John's Airport for approximately the next 5 years. I am finally home every night with my family and working 50 hours a week compared to the 70 I was a Hebron. I could not be happier, and am working my dream position. I can say 100%, if I did not obtain my CRSP, I would not have been considered for the position.
My advice is, as soon as you are qualified to apply for your CRSP... do it! I am getting e-mails and phone calls every week from previous co-workers looking for work, some who have 10 years more experience than me, and have never been unemployed in their lives. The market is flooded right now with people who have some type of safety education; you NEED to separate yourself in order to obtain a position. In our line of work, CRSP is the best way to do it.
Geoff Neville, B.B.A, SET, CRSP