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Applying for the IOSH Student Member Bursary – which is now open for another round of applications – is a 'no brainer', according to an apprentice who has won help with training costs.
Jack Unsworth (pictured) started his Level 3 SHE Technician course at Wigan Council while receiving tutoring from Penshaw View Training at the start of 2020. But within a couple of months, face-to-face opportunities such as shadowing his mentor and site visits were no longer an option because of the COVID-19 pandemic. So Jack looked for other ways to boost his development.
He decided the best way to do this was through online training and other career-enhancing materials, and applied for an IOSH bursary – with awards of up to £250 on offer – to help with costs.
'Like most people, my life has been affected [by the pandemic] and I have been working from home with a much more operational focus to my work,' said Jack. 'Winning the bursary has enabled me to develop my knowledge and experience during this period. I am very grateful for it – though I definitely wasn’t expecting to be picked.'
Jack is among a number of previous recipients of the bursary, made possible by the generosity of the late Howard Phillips. IOSH was named as a beneficiary of his will and decided to set up a fund in his memory, with the aim of supporting the next generation of OSH professionals. Just recently, IOSH recruited its 1000th student member.
Previous successful Student Bursary applicants include Tsang Chiu Wong Tony, who through his work as a safety officer is carrying out research in plant pathology and arboriculture. 'The bursary [has helped] in these difficult times, and encouraged me to use my professional knowledge to develop,' he said.
More information on how to apply for the IOSH Student Bursary, which closes on 6 November at 4pm GMT, is available here.