I see myself becoming a professional OSH practitioner and within ten years my plan is to hold a PhD

Chevening career plan question...ending with PhD

In Palestine as a developing country, we suffer from the increased number of occupational diseases, fatalities and injuries. Unfortunately, this due to insufficient Occupational Health and Safety (OSH) awareness workshops for employers and workers, rarity of OSH advisers who can highlight the importance of applying OSH. All among the reasons for high number of occupational diseases, fatalities and injuries among workers in different sectors especially in constructions sector.

As a result, my immediate plans after returning home from my scholarship are consolidating OSH reality in Palestine, thorough holding awareness workshops, emphasizing the importance of applying OSH measurements at workplace and sharing the up to date knowledge I will gain from my high education.

Currently, I am working in The Palestinian National affairs of Occupational Safety, Health and Environmental Protection (COSHEP) at Palestine Polytechnic University, which operates under the university vice president for community affairs

COSHEP center is the one and only center in Palestine that delivers Occupational Health and Safety (OSH) services for the Palestinian labor market such as, OSH specialized trainings, awareness workshops, OSH auditing and graduating OSH specialists in one year vocational diploma.

In addition to the aforementioned, I obtained the one-year vocational diploma in OSH in 2016. Moreover, I am a certified trainer from International Labor Organization (ILO) in Work Improvement for Small Enterprises training (WISE).

While working in COSHEP, I discovered a gap in the Palestinian market, when planning to hold training in OSH we struggle to contract with specialized lecturers and consultants in deliver this training. Also, during my career life I have been exposed to a lot of OSH wrong practices due lack of awareness in OSH.

Least but not last, my father suffering from occupational diseases at the age of sixty, as he was working in constructions in a bad working conditions without applying any safety measures or even using any kind of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

These reasons motivated me to draw my career plan on this important topic, in order to enhance working conditions, zero injuries, and to create a safe, hazards free working environment.

I appreciate the UK support for my country, through improving British-Palestinian business links, improving the life of people and farmers in vulnerable areas of the West Bank and development projects in marginal areas especially C areas.

I will help the UK government in executing any projects in Palestine, I will use all of my skills and expertise especially in OSH projects, I will be doing this contribution as It would be a way to return pack the favor of the UK government for all the kindness and support that I will receive when studying in the UK.

Eventually, becoming an OSH specialist requires many efforts. Fortunately, I am at the right time and place to continue my high education in OSH. Within five years, I see myself becoming a professional OSH practitioner and within ten years my plan is to hold a PhD in OSH.

Malek

Malek, the essay is strong in the sense that you clearly depict the problems of OSH situations in your country and how you wish to help update the system. In fact, I do no think that you should keep the part about your father's injury for the middle of the essay. It should actually be upfront with the rest of the introduction because that is certainly a compelling reason for you to want to improve the working condition for all those concerned in your country. Aside from that, I would like you to clarify the links that the UK have with OSH in Palestine. Aren't there any connections between the two countries in terms of improving the safety situation of workers in your country? I don't think that the business link is the connection that should be mentioned in this instance. The connection should, as much as possible, be connected to your masters degree course.

@Holt
Thanks a lot Holt
i will upfront that paragraph, but i have checked the The British Consulate General in Jerusalem website for projects relates to my field of study, unfortunately i never found any! all the projects are in art, education & society, like enhancing teachers English language, helping farmers, buying computers, sewing machines, buying embroidery tools.

i will write something on increasing OSH awareness in these projects.

Not only should you write something about raising awareness about your project, but you should also try to create an impression of the importance that the UK has in the promotion of such programs. Keep in mind that you are supposed to write about the relationship of the UK with your country in relation to the course you are studying. So if the relationship does not exist, your paper should explain why it should exist. The idea being, that you will call the attention of the UK to the plight of OSH in your country and how their help is badly needed in improving the situation.

For the relationship part, you can explain that you will do your best to promote and gain the help of the UK in addressing the problems related to the job. What you will be doing is working the system to hopefully, cast the dice in your favor. That means that because a relationship doesn't exist, then you will create one.

@Holt

I appreciate the UK support for my country, by improving the life of people in vulnerable areas of the West Bank and development projects in marginal areas especially C areas, through supplying tools and equipment such as computer, farming and sewing machines.

I will help the UK government in executing any projects in Palestine, I will use all of my skills and expertise especially in OSH projects, I will suggest developing OSH courses and training regarding the type pf supported projects and equipment. Training will be in increasing the farmers awareness toward using chemical fertilizers safely, Ergonomic in work environment for women in sewing workshops, I will be doing this contribution as It would be a way to return pack the favor of the UK government for all the kindness and support that I will receive when studying in the UK.

@Holt
great ideas Holt, in progress
one point that OSH projects funded by GIZ (Germans) & BTC (Belgians) mentioning this helpful? or no need?

If you can connect the relationship of those 2 countries to your quest to gain the support of the UK for an OSH project, then by all means mention it. I don't think it will hurt since you will be indicating a shortcoming on the part of the UK. However, you have to make it sound like a positive sentence and not accusatory or complaining. You always have to play the hope and gratitude angle in the essay. So you have to make sure that you will mention the other countries as the basis of your project.

For example, you can speak of an existing project that has the cooperation of another country. Then you can try to find a reason why that program has to be improved and then indicate how the UK can help with regards to starting an improved version of the project. That should work for the essay.

@Holt
thanks a lot for your great help, i took all your notes in consideration.
still one question left
if you just could explain it please
Chevening is looking for individuals that will be future leaders or influencers in their home countries. Explain how you meet this requirement, using clear examples of your own leadership and influencing skills to support your answer.

regards

Malek, are you asking me to explain the question to you or you just want examples of how to respond to the question? If you need examples of the responses, then all you have to do is look at the forum. It is all over the scholarship section of the forum. If you want to know what type of information should be included, make sure that you have chosen a real leadership and influencing activity that, whenever possible, is related to your profession. Don't try to pass off a team effort as a leadership ability. The reviewer will see right through that. Make sure that your influencing ability is also properly represented in the essay. Just like your leadership skill, it would be best if it were on a professional scale because the reviewer would like to see your work in action. While civic activities are acceptable as examples of influencing abilities, you need to make sure that these are not activities done before you attended or graduated from college. Try to stay away from academic examples as much as possible because the time elapsed between that academic activity and your professional participation will be too large. Nullifying the validity of your declarations. If you were too young in the academic examples, don't use it.