A recent survey conducted by Safesearch shows that universities are failing to keep up with demand for workplace safety professionals.

 

The survey showedn that a large majority of respondents highlighted the importance of qualifications in this increasingly complex area.

 

Safesearch Managing Director Julie Honore said this was misaligned with the limited availability of bachelor-level OHS qualifications.

 

“Queensland and Western Australia are currently the only states that offer a total of four OHS courses for undergraduates in Australia," Ms Honore said.

 

“Clearly these states have felt the demand from the resources companies for qualified safety professionals, while undergraduates in other states have few options.”

 

“Our respondents recognise that OHS has to be a top priority in their business. They stated that the intellectual rigor and foundation knowledge attained from an undergraduate degree is essential for driving change and continuous improvement in OHS.”

 

“It seems that our education system as it stands is not keeping up with the demand. If you can’t access this education at the undergraduate level, then you have missed out on a large potential supply of candidates.”