Apprentice Firefighter – Wholetime – Essex County Fire and Rescue Service

The Role (Role Profile)

We’re recruiting wholetime firefighters to begin training in February 2025. Forget those outdated stereotypes. We’re team members, teachers, communicators, community-minded, protectors and role models – firefighting is a diverse and rewarding career on the front line, saving lives. If you want to play a key role in our communities, preventing and protecting our residents and visitors from harm and keeping Essex safe, this is the role for you.

What you need to know before applying for our February 2025 squad

If you are successful, you’ll attend a non-residential 17-week training course at our Service Training Centre in Witham, Essex. The hours will be 8.30am – 5pm, Monday to Friday, starting on 10th February 2025, with induction days on either 6th or 7th February 2025.

You will not be able to take leave during this period due to the intensive requirements and safety critical nature of the training.

The working pattern after successful completion of the 17-week training course will be two days 9am-6pm followed by two nights 6pm-9am, with four days off, on a rolling pattern.

Our wholetime firefighters complete a Level 3 Operational Firefighting Apprenticeship alongside their standard firefighter training. Being able to offer all of our new firefighters an apprenticeship qualification means we’re able to invest in our leaders of tomorrow. This is a nationally recognised qualification and will be a condition of the offer. For details please see: Operational Firefighter Level 3 Apprenticeship – Colchester Institute. Operational Firefighter Level 3 Apprenticeship – Colchester Institute. Further information will be provided during the application process.