Waste management officer : Training

Ongoing professional development is encouraged, and training may be partly or fully financed by employers. Further training can involve general management courses, developing technical skills, keeping up to date with changes in legislation, improving IT skills, learning about finance issues and controlling budgets.

Training is delivered by a number of different providers. For example, The Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM)  has a Structured Education and Training Scheme (SET) which is designed to assist new graduates to acquire the practical skills required to develop their career in the industry. They also offer a Certificate in Supervisory Management and a comprehensive range of specialist courses on topics such as industrial hazardous waste management and landfill gas management. They have also collaborated with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA)  to develop their New Technologies Programme.

Chartered status and membership is advantageous. There are several grades of membership, but chartered status is usually obtained when the candidate has a relevant degree and has at least four years' relevant continuous experience including structured training. Applicants must also give a presentation before a professional interview panel.

For some operational management posts, it is a legal requirement that you gain an appropriate vocational qualification (S/NVQs) followed by a Certificate of Technical Competence (COTC), awarded by the Waste Management Industry Training and Advisory Board (WAMITAB) . In these cases, this training will be automatically offered by your employer.