The launch of IOSH’s Blueprint was a pivotal moment enabling members to assess their competencies using a fully structured assessment tool. Now we’re going a step further.
The first version of Blueprint allowed IOSH members to self-assess their skills and strengths, as well as highlight development areas and access CPD materials that would advance their professional abilities. It remains a fantastic resource, but we felt we could make it better, so we’re working on Blueprint 2.0 as part of an enhanced suite of practical tools.
‘What we’re doing with Blueprint 2.0 is integrating it much more with other professional development tools, so it’s part of a seamless package of support,’ says IOSH director of professional services Vanessa Harwood-Whitcher.
‘The great thing about this is that it will also link in with the new continuing professional development scheme, which will launch in tandem with Blueprint 2.0. All of the work that will go into Blueprint will effectively auto-populate people’s CPD records, saving a lot of time and effort and helping members to focus on the value that they get from CPD rather than dealing with its administration.
Member extras: Career Hub and Mentoring
The new IOSH Career Hub is a free online membership benefit that provides access to thousands of different resources ranging from e-learning to psychometric tests, CV compilers and interview simulations.
‘It doesn’t matter what stage you’re at in your career. Whether you’re looking for your next role or keen to boost your CPD by developing your business skills, there’s something for everybody in the Career Hub,’ Vanessa says.
Another recently launched platform is IOSH Mentoring.
‘You put your profile forward as a mentor to say these are the areas where you can offer support, or mentees say what specific things they are looking for support in, then the platform’s algorithms provide the link and the mentor and the mentee can decide if they want to work together. We’ve had just over 1000 members sign up to the platform and it doesn’t matter where you are in the world or what you want to talk about, there will be somebody else there,’ she says.
‘So there really is no end to the ways that IOSH is trying to help members with both imminent concerns and longer-term development.’
‘We have a team of health and safety professionals who have been writing content to support the new competencies that will be integral to Blueprint 2.0. So if somebody has done their assessment and, for example, realises that they need to strengthen their competence in risk management, they can go and look at the materials that are on the system, do the exercises, read the content, and that will auto-populate into their CPD record.’
‘Blueprint 2.0 is a “work in progress” and was paused while our attention has been focused on supporting members through the pandemic. When we roll it out, it will be an invaluable resource, mapping competencies to grades to guide development and career progression. Importantly, it’ll sit at the heart of an improved user experience, with a single log-in giving members access to a wealth of content aligned with our competency framework. We’re working hard to finesse and test Blueprint and will release further details in November, when the membership grades review has reached its final stage.’
Resources
- The first version of Blueprint: iosh.com/my-iosh/blueprint
- IOSH Career Hub: iosh.com/careerhub
- IOSH Mentoring: iosh.com/my-iosh/iosh-mentoring
