Firefighting

This Modern Apprenticeship incorporates SVQ Emergency Fire Service: Operations in the Community and The Firefighters Foundation Programme which are currently used for new firefighter recruits joining the Service. Your Apprentice will continue this journey over a three year period before being deemed fully trained and competent to carry out the role.

Modern Apprentices will receive support from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service to achieve an SVQ qualification and enhance the opportunity for progression within the Service.

SFRS anticipate recruitment of around 300 new firefighters up to the end of 2019 and is hoped that each of these people will be part of this new development. The introduction of this new Modern Apprenticeship will help to formalise the training provision for new firefighters, and offer a clear career progression route for staff.

Due to the nature of this role, the minimum age for apprentices signing up for this framework will be 18 years old.

The recruitment and selection processes consist of a number of assessment exercises designed to appropriately assess and evaluate candidate attributes against the criteria for the role and can be segmented into seven main stages: advert and application, first psychometric assessment, second psychometric assessment, fitness assessment, practical selection testing, interview and conditional offer.

Firefighters have the opportunity to progress. If the right skills, attitude and abilities are shown it is soon possible to be leading crews, watches or fire stations. Other routes through the organisation involve becoming a specialist in areas such as Fire Safety, Training and Employee Development, Fire Investigation, Technical Rescue or Command Support.