Good Start for NEBOSH's International Outreach
Sixteen of the 17 people who tool its first Health and Safety at Work exam given in Arabic achieved the qualification. Next up: Russian and Mandarin.
The National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health (NEBOSH) said its international outreach is starting well: Sixteen of the 17 employees from Middle Eastern businesses and government departments who took the British board's first Health and Safety at Work exam given in Arabic achieved the qualification. The course provider was RRC Middle East.
NEBOSH also plans to offer the qualification in Russian and Mandarin later this year.
"Several students told us they had been afraid about taking this course, because the name NEBOSH is so strongly associated with higher-lever professional qualifications," said Hasan AlAradi, managing director of RRC ME. "Even though the Health and Safety at Work qualification is an entry-level course, some believed it might be too difficult for them. However, all agreed that the Arabic language of our course made the content very clear and easy to digest. And with tutor and students sharing practical experiences, their apprehension about the course turned to confidence and helped in gaining understanding of the topics. The exam itself was also a very good translation."
NEBOSH said since the results were announced, several students have expressed an interest in taking a Certificate-level NEBOSH course in Arabic if it becomes available to them.
"It has been a major project for NEBOSH setting an examination in a foreign language, so we're delighted to hear of this success," said NEBOSH Chief Executive Teresa Budworth. :My congratulations go to the students who passed and to RRC ME for delivering such an effective course. We want NEBOSH to help preserve and improve occupational health and safety in workplaces worldwide, so it's important we extend the availability of our qualifications to those who are non-English-speaking. This process will take time, but with plans for the Health and Safety at Work qualification to be set in Russian and Chinese Mandarin, as well as Arabic, we're starting to move in the right direction."
For more information on the qualification and examinations in languages other than English, contact NEBOSH Customer Services on +44 (0)116 2634700 or [email protected]. The board was created in 1979 as an independent examining board and awarding body with charitable status. Courses leading to NEBOSH qualifications attract about 30,000 candidates annually and are offered by some 400 course providers in 80 countries. The qualifications are recognized by societies that include the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health, the International Institute of Risk and Safety Management, and the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment.