The fear of UK’s economy taking a dive after the Brexit vote, though justifiable, has not been realised. In fact, by the September following the vote, the UK unemployment rate hit an 11-year low. With that in mind, many are asking where the jobs are. The answer lies in sectors that require special licences and certifications. Here are a few different reasons why obtaining these can be the best way to secure a job.
Learning specialised information
Imagine going to a doctor’s surgery and having some random woman they pulled off the street tell you what was wrong with you. Sounds crazy, right? When you’re sick, you want to go to an expert, someone who has treated patients with similar ailments time and time again, a professional who feels comfortable communicating with you about your unique medical issues because they have a medical degree.
Although the industrial sector is much different than the medical field, the same line of thinking applies. Sure, you can get an entry level job as a basic handyman on a construction site, but jobs requiring more specialised skills — like crane operating at a company like Direct Hire, for example — require special certification. This means obtaining a Construction Plant Competency Scheme licence through a two-week training course that teaches the functions and properties of a crane and tests both theory and practical knowledge at the end.
Taking a certification course puts you in a different class when it comes to employment. If you can do things that other people can’t do, your skills will be in demand in the eyes of an employer.
Meeting industry-wide standards
As of 2015, roughly 83 of the 353 occupational groups in the labour market required a licence. This means meeting minimum standards of experience, competency, and various tests or screenings. Forms of licensing have been around for ages, and are generally justified in the interest of public safety and quality control. As mentioned above, the Construction Plant Competency Scheme, and most other certifications, require proof of knowledge and practical skills, which keep workers safe.
For certain types of heavy machinery jobs, employers are required by regulatory boards that their machine operators all maintain up-to-date certification. Earning certification, then, ensures that you are meeting these regulations. By law, these certifications also have an expiration date that requires repeat testing to renew. In other fields, such as accounting, estimating, or even contracting, the certifications may be more rigorous, but do not have to be renewed. Either way, certification makes you a better job candidate because it might be illegal for a company to hire you if you didn’t have it!
Maintaining a safe work environment
Unskilled labour sectors often suffer from high turnover rates, lower competency, and relatively poor efficiency. There is nothing wrong with entry level jobs, but there is an inherent risk that comes with hiring someone without any experience or training. Poor performance is certainly a risk, but safety is a much bigger one. Whether it’s a strained back in a grocery store or collapsed shelving in a fulfilment warehouse, accidents can cost a company in damages, legal fees, compensation, and even regulatory fines.
Nearly every certification course, blue and white collar alike, cover safety and regulations extensively. From proper operation of equipment to tax filing requirements, any licensed professional is held to a higher standard that puts their certification up as a sort of collateral for the job. For this reason, employers inside and outside of licensed work are more likely to hire someone who has proper training and personal investment in maintaining safety standards.
Whether you want to be a registered nurse or a licensed forklift operator, your career may be just a certification class away. Even if you don’t have concrete plans, special licensing looks good on paper and will catch the eye of anyone looking to hire the best candidate for a job.
Do you have any special licences and certifications? How are they helpful? Tell us in the comments below.
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