Howard Nickerson, CHSC, CRSP

Health, Safety and Environment Certificate (2009)
Professional Management Certificate with a Specialization in Project Management (In Progress)

"It's given me the knowledge I needed to progress in my career," says Howard Nickerson, of his Health Safety and Environment (HSE) Certificate. "It helped prepare me for my CRSP (Canadian Registered Safety Professional) designation, and has motivated me to learn more."

Howard, a radiation safety officer and HSE advisor for Sanjel, a specialized oil and gas company, had more than a decade of practical experience in his field when he enrolled in the certificate program. He had seen the field grow, and could see it was going to have an even greater profile in the future. "Workplace health and safety isn't a new field to those of us who work in it," he says. "But it's new to the world. Now, every company needs safety professionals."

When Howard learned through the Canadian Society of Safety Engineering (CSSE) about Continuing Education's certificate program and how it aligned with the CRSP designation, he enrolled and fast-tracked his learning, completing the certificate requirements in less than one year. "It was definitely an intense period of time for me," he says.

Currently, Howard is the first vice chair with the CSSE, the same organization that helped him find the Continuing Education program in the first place. He will be chairman in 2011. Despite a busy professional life, Howard is continuing his studies and is currently enrolled in another Continuing Education certificate—the Professional Management Certificate. His plan is to get two specializations: first, project management; then, risk management. "I wasn't that motivated when I was younger," he says. "But now, I enjoy learning."

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