Institute of risk management?

[meehaja]

I'm after a little bit of info about the Institute of Risk management and the qualifications they offer (certificate and diploma).

quick history, I'm a qualified Paramedic, moved into national governance (CQC), now working as a Risk manager for an NHS trust. I have no formal qualifications apart from my Paramedic qualifications. I have completed degree level modules with a university, but these are all clinical based. I'm looking to get a recognised qualification, partly for my own sense of achievement, partly to add security to my career and partly to improve my knowledge.

I'm acutely aware that all my immediate peers at work have bachelors and masters degrees, but I don't fancy doing a degree for the sake of it, I've looked at various Masters courses that would accept me based on work level etc, but naturally they are all quite specific (mostly healthcare management) and though I am sure I would learn valuable skills, I learn valuable skills by working as a healthcare manager everyday, without shelling out from my Porsche fund for a fancy certificate!

So, Institute of risk management. I can't find anything about them that isn't by them, which sets alarm bells ringing a little. Obviously they say that their courses are ideal for someone like me and would bolster my career opportunities and make me into a god like figure amongst my peers, but I'm yet to find out if I'd learn anything that doing the job and a good book wouldn't teach me?

Has anyone here done one of their courses? Anyone else work in risk management? Anyone recognise their qualifications?

[rog007]

So you've gotten a role in risk management without a qualy. They therefore think you're basically competent. Therefore I'd ask your employer what further CPD they would like you to undergo in order to make you even more competent.

Then I'd commend thinking about your longer term aspirations and choose something that will enable that.

Re your commmnent on the worth of any academic endeavour; you get out of it what you put in to it.

Good luck!

[bga]

I work in risk management (mainly IT) and the IRM are known & respected.

IMO the benefits of going through something like this is that you will get a general view that while potentially slightly different to the specifics of your industry, is well structure & represents a comprehensive body of knowledge. The certificate is probably the sweet spot, alternatively getting all over ISO 31000 (and a related certification) would definitely be worth considering.

[meehaja]

Cheers, good to hear they're are recognised. I couldn't find anything about them that wasn't by them! I'd like to diversify my
Skills a little, I'm not confident for the future of the NHS!

[bga]

Whatever happens with the NHS, I don't think risk management will be going away any time soon! The key thing is that if you can position yourself as a facilitator (i.e. helping others to do RM better as part of their operational role) rather than just performing risk assessments, then your options outside your current employer are increased.

[meehaja]

There will always be health jobs, and I've got the the clinical and management experience to ensure I'm safe-ish. I interview well, so have managed to get a number of jobs that are higher level than my qualifications reflect. Everyone else in my team has a masters and I don't even have a Bachelor's degree. On the one hand, it shows that experience and skills is worth more than certificates, on the other hand, the jobs at the level I would apply for all seem to specify "Masters degree or equivalent". So far I've blagged it, but eventually my lack of formal qualifications will mean i don't get to the interview stage. I don't want to do a degree for the sake of it. The easiest route to a BSc is to top up my Paramedic quals, but the extra add ons are all clinical and I'm not in clinical practice anymore. Instead of doing a generic management masters to tick a box, I'd rather develop specific skills that identify me as something different (its the old punk in me!). If IRM is a real thing rather than a dodgy online training company, then I'd rather mark myself as a specialist in a skillset that my masters qualified colleagues don't have.

Thanks, for your advice.

Jim