Wholetime Firefighter Recruitment – Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service

Wholetime Firefighter Recruitment
Salary:£31,539 – £40,358 per annum
Benefits:
Superb Pension Schemes available
Health and wellbeing support
Gym and parking facilities

Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service is inviting applications for Wholetime Firefighters through our Apprenticeship Programme. An exciting opportunity to begin a challenging, fulfilling and rewarding career serving your community.

Being a Firefighter is about much more than responding to emergencies. Every day brings new challenges and opportunities, from attending incidents and protecting people in times of need, to delivering fire safety advice, supporting vulnerable residents, and engaging with local communities through educational events, campaigns and outreach activities.

There is no such thing as a ‘typical’ firefighter. We are committed to building a workforce that reflects the diverse communities we serve and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, experiences and walks of life. we are all united by a shared commitment to making Berkshire safer.

We believe that talent, potential and determination can come from anywhere. Whether you are starting your career, returning to work after a break, or looking for a completely new direction later in life, we encourage you to consider a future with us. The apprenticeship route is open to those who are new to the firefighter role and ready to develop the skills, knowledge and confidence needed to succeed.

Appointing the right people is vital to helping us achieve our vision for the future. We assess all applicants against the same standards, and all recruitment decisions are made fairly and based on merit. If you would like to find out more about life in the Service, you can read first hand experiences from our firefighters and staff on our website.

If you’re looking for a career with purpose, challenge and the opportunity to make a real difference every day, we would love to hear from you.

Our recruitment opens on Tuesday 7th July 2026 at 13:00pm with the initial application stage closing on Monday 27th July 2026 at 23:59pm. Please note we will not have a cap on the number of applications available this year however you will be required to submit a supporting statement within your online application form so please allow yourself time to complete this. Please complete your application before the deadline to avoid disappointment. It is important you only apply once, as multiple applications will not be counted. If you make an error in your application please contact us, rather than applying again.

Please note that for this campaign we have restricted applications to individuals who live within a 40-mile radius of the centre of Reading.

To apply, please access the online application at by clicking Apply now