Pride for first cohort of Northamptonshire firefighters to achieve apprentice qualification

The 14 firefighters have received the Level 3 Operational Firefighter qualification from the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education, with the Fire Service saying it demonstrated a 'desire to develop our firefighters and equip them with skills and qualifications that will prove beneficial for the rest of their working lives'.

The new apprentices were presented with their certificates at Fire HQ in Wellingborough yesterday (July 9) by Deputy Chief Fire Officer Simon Tuhill, and were also paid a visit by new Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Danielle Stone.

Deputy Chief Fire Officer Simon Tuhill said: “This is the first time ever that our firefighters have been able to achieve an accredited apprenticeship qualification through the Service, and this is a qualification that can not only help progress their career here in Northamptonshire Fire but is also a transferable qualification that can help them progress on whatever path they wish to follow.

“It is important that we help to develop our staff and give them valuable skills, and I know they all found it a positive experience – so it’s important also to thank our training instructors who helped them on this journey.”

The apprenticeship took two years for the cohort to complete and saw them undertake practical examinations to demonstrate their firefighting skills, as well as completing knowledge and understanding testing to showcase their understanding of the role and how they have helped with safety in the local community.

The final assessment involved them being assessed by experienced independent instructors from other Fire and Rescue Services who determined if they had met the required standards, and Northamptonshire Fire & Rescue Service said it was 'delighted' with the feedback that was received about all the apprentice firefighters.

One of the firefighters to receive an apprenticeship is Charlotte Cowley, who joined Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service two years ago and is currently working wholetime on Blue Watch in Corby.

She said: “The first year of study was pretty intense, and I had to do that on top of my operational duties as a firefighter. But I would say that compared to when I first joined, I never thought I would have been able to learn as much as I have.

“It’s been a steep learning curve, but it’s been an incredibly fulfilling experience and I am so happy to have achieved it.”

Northamptonshire Fire & Rescue Service said it would be recruiting for new apprentice firefighters in the near future – and that anyone interested should keep an eye on their social media platforms and News Page on their website for an announcement soon.