Wholetime Firefighters (apprentice)

About the role

Wholetime Firefighter Apprentice 🧑‍🚒🔥

Location: Brigade Headquarters, Stocklake, Aylesbury, Bucks, HP20 1BD

Salary: £28,265 – £37,675 per year (Trainee to Fully-Qualified) 💰

Hours: 42 hours per week, full time ⏰

Package: Firefighter Pension Scheme, generous annual leave, employee benefits, Employee Assistance Programme, Occupational Health support, onsite gym facilities 💪

Ready for a career that's more than just a job? Want to make a real impact and join a team that's got your back? Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service is looking for awesome individuals to become Wholetime Firefighter Apprentices! 🚀

We're all about Compassion, Integrity, and Respect, and we live these values every day through being Professional, Connected, Ambitious, and Empowering.

As a firefighter, you'll be physically ready to handle anything from pulling ladders to running hoses while wearing breathing apparatus. 🏋️‍♀️💨 But it's not just about being strong; we need you to be understanding, reliable, flexible, and a total team player. 🤝

What the Role Involves:

This is a seriously rewarding, exciting, and varied career! You'll be responding to all sorts of incidents – think fires, car crashes, rescues, floods, and chemical spills. 🚨🚗🌊 When you're not saving the day, you'll be out in the community, sharing safety tips, running cool activities, and supporting important campaigns. 📢

You'll be working various shifts, including days, nights, and weekends, so flexibility is key! 🗓️ This isn't just a gig; it's your chance to serve your community and be part of a crew that shares your drive.

What We're Looking For in You:

We need individuals who are physically fit, resilient, and ready to crush the demands of this role. You'll need the stamina for those challenging tasks, plus those essential personal qualities like understanding, flexibility, and teamwork.

Key qualities that will make you stand out:

• Proactive & Problem-Solving: You see challenges as opportunities and are always looking for solutions. ✅
• Community-Focused & Compassionate: You genuinely love helping people and making a difference in your local area. ❤️
• Willingness to Learn & Improve: You're open to feedback and committed to growing both personally and professionally. 🌱
• Strong Communication & Emotional Intelligence: You can chat effectively and understand how others are feeling, no matter the situation. 🗣️
• Team-Oriented & Respectful: You value working together and respecting everyone's different ideas. 🌍
• Ability to Follow Structure & Adapt: You know the importance of procedures but can also roll with the punches when things change. 🤸
• Critical Thinking Under Pressure: You keep your cool, make smart decisions, and act fast when things get intense. 🧠

Eligibility:

• You'll be 18+ by 1 September 2025. 🎂
• You live within 20 miles of the Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes border. 🗺️
• You've got a full UK driving licence. 🚗
• You hold GCSEs in Maths and English (A*–C / 9–4) or Level 2 Functional Skills. Proof is needed! 📚
• You can swim. 🏊

Pay and Perks:

• Trainee firefighter: £28,265 annually
• Development Firefighter (2-year apprenticeship): £29,442 annually
• Fully qualified Firefighter: £37,675 annually

Plus, we've got awesome extras:

• Level 3 Operational Firefighter Apprenticeship: A fully supported path to becoming qualified with a recognised qualification. 🏆
• Competitive Salary & Earning Potential: Earn extra with additional shifts if needed (and operationally possible). 💸
• Career Development: Our High Potential Development Programme can help you climb the ladder into leadership roles. 🧗‍♀️
• Specialist Training: Get qualified in things like LGV driving, boat rescue, and Urban Search and Rescue (USAR). 🛥️
• Shift Patterns: Some stations offer Day-Crewed shifts for better work-life balance, with every other weekend off. Housing options are available if you live further away. 🏡
• Inclusive & Supportive Culture: Work in a diverse, respectful environment where you're valued and encouraged to grow. 🤗

Important Stuff:

• If you're already an On Call Firefighter close to being competent, have completed a Wholetime Firefighter acquisition, or are currently on a Firefighter apprenticeship, you can't apply.
• If you're currently applying for or enrolled on *any* apprenticeship in another sector, let HR know! Failure to do so could impact your application.

The Recruitment Journey:

This is a thorough process to find the best fits. You'll need to nail each of these 7 steps:

1. Online Application 💻

2. Online Psychometric Testing 🧠

3. Role-Related Test 📝

4. Behaviour Workshop 🎭

5. Interview & Presentation 🎤

6. Medical & Eyesight Checks 🩺

7. DBS Checks, References, Kit Fitting 👕

Key Dates:

• Closing Date: 16 February 2025
• Behaviour Workshop & Role Related Tests: 23 / 24 / 25 April 2025 (you'll attend one day)
• Interview and Presentations: Week commencing 19 May 2025
• Medicals / Disclosure & Barring Service: June 2025
• Kit Fitting: June / July 2025

What Happens Next:

Successful candidates will get a formal offer. Once you're in, you'll complete your Level 3 Operational Firefighter Apprenticeship over two years. You'll also undergo a DBS check. If you have any questions about this, our HR Department is here to help.

We're committed to being a welcoming, engaging, and inclusive place to work. Our values of Compassion, Integrity, and Respect drive everything we do, ensuring our staff feel valued and supported, and we deliver an excellent Fire & Rescue Service for our community. 🌟

If you need any adjustments to help you with your application or our recruitment process, just reach out to HR by email or phone.

If you're currently receiving a Firefighter’s pension, please tell HR before accepting an offer, as rules might apply.

Sound like your kind of challenge? Click apply and head to our website to get your application started! 👇

No agencies, please.

Key responsibilities

• Responding to a wide range of emergency incidents.
• Engaging with the community to provide safety advice and support campaigns.
• Performing physically demanding tasks, including operating equipment and wearing breathing apparatus.
• Collaborating effectively as a team to achieve operational objectives.
• Following established procedures and adapting decisively under pressure.

Skills