Apprenticeships provide a vital route into the fire and rescue service, but the careers of those who start with an apprenticeship rarely stop there.
We catch up with former apprentice Tim Graham who has since gone on to become a Crew Manager with County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service.
Growing up, Tim always wanted to be a firefighter. After leaving school, he decided to join the Army due to low levels of recruitment in the fire service at the time. In the back of his mind, however, he always envisioned himself as a firefighter.
Entering the fire service
Tim’s entry route into the fire service was a wholetime course which consisted of 14 weeks initial training in the training centre, before joining the fire service’s watches.
Following this experience, Tim enrolled onto a Level 3 Operational Firefighter Apprenticeship with New College Durham.
This apprenticeship programme gave Tim a clear way to evidence his experiences whilst on the job, making it easier to review his work and show that he was progressing not only in his apprenticeship but also as an operational firefighter within the service.
This gave Tim the guidance he needed to progress and be promoted in his career.
Whilst Tim was on duty, it was a challenging process to fit in apprenticeship work alongside operational training and incidents. However, Tim appreciated that this kept him busy and taught him a lot about time management.
On completion of the apprenticeship, Tim had gained knowledge on the role and responsibilities of a firefighter and how working with other services helps firefighters protect their communities.
Continuing professional development in the fire service
Since his apprenticeship, Tim has continued to progress in his career.
He is now in a crew manager position at Durham Fire Station, where he is taking on further learning and development to better understand and carry out this role.
Tim’s transition from firefighter to crew manager has involved learning a lot of new skills to not only be in charge at operational incidents but also manage the watch whilst on station with regards to prevention work and community engagement.
With the help and support of his fire service, Tim has developed his skills as a leader.
Tim has also enrolled on courses to develop his incident command ability at operational incidents, which has helped him in managing time and people effectively whilst on station.
Advice to aspiring apprentices
The Operational Firefighter Apprenticeship gave Tim the confidence to say that he could do the job, having been assessed to a high standard by industry professionals.
Tim’s advice to anyone interested in starting a firefighter apprenticeship?
“Absolutely go for it,” he said.
“By completing an apprenticeship, you’re gaining on-the-job experience whilst gaining a nationally recognised qualification.
“There is so much to gain from this opportunity!”
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