02 March 2008 - Scotland’s Careers & Jobs Fair: 2 & 3 March 2008
Scotland’s Careers & Jobs Fair 2008, coming to the Royal Highland Centre on the 2 & 3 of March, is expecting a record attendance of well over 7000. LBFRS will be attending highlighting equal opportunities in the Fire Service. More information on the event.
*Press Release written on behalf of the Scottish Careers Fair:-
Masculine, tough, macho and strong. Or is it Determined, active, motivated and adaptable?
Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service (LBFRS) are breaking down the stereotypical walls which have surrounded the Fire Service for years.
By appointing two new Outreach Officers, who are both Firefighters, the Service aims to raise the awareness of Firefighting as a career for women and people from Black and Minority Ethnic communities.
There is no shortage of excellent candidates during recruitment, these thousands of applications are generally from white men, who naturally consider Firefighting as a career, but there is a shortfall of representation of minorities.
However, this is not about giving under-represented groups a box to stand on throughout the selection process. It is about ensuring that they are informed and aware that Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service is as open to them as it is to all other applicants.
In LBFRS, with a workforce of 1060 Firefighters, 56 are women and 14 are from Black and Minority Ethnic communities.
Lynne Gow, Outreach Officer from the Service said, “We will need to do more to increase the range of applications from across all sections of the community. This will ensure that we receive the best candidates for the job.”
Women have not followed the traditional path the majority of male Firefighters have, such as armed services, manual trades or those occupations that replicate the “physical image” of the Fire Service. This image has expelled the very thought of a career as a Firefighter from the minds of most females.
Lynne added, “I began my career 10 years ago when only a handful of women were in the service. Of these women, most had relatives or friends who were Firefighters.
“The role of a Firefighter differs greatly 10 years on. We spend a substantial amount of our working day conducting Community Fire Safety initiatives – installing smoke detectors, giving advice to our communities and educating young people on the dangers of fire and the consequences of unsafe driving.
“We train extensively for all the different types of emergency that we may respond to including domestic and industrial fires, rescues of people and animals who may be trapped, working with businesses to ensure fire precautions are suitable and we protect people, property and the environment from the effects of hazardous substances.”
Firefighters work 42 hours per week – on a shift system of two day-shifts, two night-shifts and four days off. A number of stations offer a day shift system of 8am until 5pm Monday - Friday. The current starting salary is £20,396, rising to £27,185 when qualified.
There is a vast amount of opportunity once you qualify as a Firefighter. By entering the Assessment and Development process, a Firefighter is assessed on their suitability for promotion to Crew Manager and beyond. By doing this your leadership, team and incident management skills are developed. Further education opportunities are encouraged and in some cases financially supported throughout your career. Or you may prefer, as many do, to continue as a Firefighter within a crew throughout your career.
A 40-year-old female Firefighter has been with the service for two years at the city’s Tollcross blue watch. She has three children aged between 6 and 14, and feels the service suits her family commitments, “When I had my third child I was looking for a new career – the shifts suit family life perfectly – it gives me time with my children and allows me to fulfil my own ambitions. There are so many aspects to our job. A lot of traditional jobs that I looked at are not physical and I enjoy exercise. I’m proud that my kids see me as a role model.”
The Outreach Officers are available to chat to women and minority ethnic people and answer any questions on a career in the Fire and Rescue Service.
Email us at positive action@lbfire.org.uk or telephone Lynne Gow on 0131 659 7343.
Or come along to the Careers and Jobs Fair on 2 nd/3 rd March at Ingliston to speak to our Positive Action Team.
The next recruitment campaign is expected to start later this year.
Visit www.lbfire.org.uk.
For a free Home Safety Check contact 0800 169 0320.
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