Evidence of market support for the IOSH Awarding Organisation’s new Level 6 qualification and refining through consultation with employers to help ensure its fitness for purpose
In depth interviews with employers of OSH professionals
Approx. length of interviews (minutes)
Challenge
The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) is the Chartered body and largest membership organisation for safety and health professionals. IOSH acts as a champion, advisor, advocate and trainer for approximately 48,300 health and safety professionals working in a wide variety of organisations in around 130 countries.
IOSH Awarding Organisation (AO) developed a Level 6 Diploma to enable future occupational safety and health (OSH) leaders to gain a business focused understanding of how best practice can help drive business benefits when embedded across an organisation wherever it operates around the world.
IOSH AO wished to commission a programme of consultation with employers of OSH professionals to provide evidence of market support for and collect useful and constructive feedback about the Level 6 qualification, to help ensure its fitness for purpose. Evidence of support for the qualification is required to enable the IOSH AO to meet the Ofqual conditions. IOSH commissioned Enventure Research to undertake a series of in depth interviews with employers of OSH professionals to seek their feedback about the Level 6 qualification.
Approach
Researchers from Enventure Research conducted a series of 15 in depth qualitative interviews with employers of OSH professionals. Interview participants were recruited from introductions made by IOSH and were recruited to include a mix of small, medium and large employers (including large multinationals and representation from overseas) from a mix of sectors. Before taking part in an interview, participants were asked to read a summary brochure and learning outcomes and assessment criteria to ensure they had a good understanding of what the qualification would cover.
In the interviews, a researcher from Enventure Research followed a topic guide that was co-designed with IOSH to elicit feedback. Interviews lasted around 45 minutes and were held over Zoom. Participants were asked to provide feedback on behalf of their employer and consented to be identified in their feedback.
Outcome
Enventure Research analysed the qualitative feedback and provided IOSH AO with a summary report which included an overview of the key findings. Each finding was illustrated with verbatim quotes from participants.
Enventure Research concluded that participants were generally favourable towards the new qualification, able to identify its key strengths and felt there would be a good take up amongst OSH professionals. The findings from the consultation are being used by IOSH AO to refine the qualification before rollout.
“The findings from these in depth interviews will be really useful for IOSH AO in terms of being able to show evidence of support for the qualification to meet the Ofqual conditions and to fine tune the qualification before bringing it to market.”
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