Hello and asking for advice

Suggs · Hello and asking for advice

I'd like to say hi and apologise for bending the rules a little. I am not a firefighter, but I can find no other place to talk to firefighters and help me with my problem.

I'm 16 and really want to join the LFB when I'm old enough, so I have enrolled on a Public Services Course at College. However, I have been told that at 18 I'm not very likely to get in for ages, so i'd be wasting a few years applying and getting rejected perhaps a few times. However, I've recently been approached by the Army who have offered me £2,000 if I do my Public Services course and commit to serving as soon as I leave, ruling out the possibility of try for the Fire Brigade and if I got rejected signing up. However, if I dont accept the money and still get rejected then Ill have wasted a good oppurtunity.
What chance have I got at getting in whilst still young and does my Course help?
I'm open to any opinions and advice on what to do?

Cheers

Straight8

If it's any help mate I joined at 19, albeit in 1988. There's still recruitment from all age ranges, and we've had lads from 20 - 40 join our happy band over the last couple of years.

Try, it can't hurt. :wink:

Suggs

i definetly would try, its just if I have no chance i'll have lost the 2000 and when your on 12000 that would help

smudger22

If you have to do 2 years in the army then take the £2000, do the two years and when you come out the brigade normally takes service personnel easier than just Joe bloggs public.
You wouldn't be able to join the brigade till 18 anyway.
Good luck.

Suggs

i wouldnt be in the army till 18 either though. the 2000 is for doing my public services course (which im going on just because its meant to be better for me getting in the brigade) from 16 to 18 and then commiting to serve till 22 at least. what im saying is if i have the chance id much rather join the brigade, even if it took more than one try, but if i dont have a good chance i might as well take this extra money when im going to end up in the army anyway.

smudger22

Trouble is Suggs, you might not get in for a few years anyway, we have anewbie and it's taken him 15 years in total since he first applied, a bit extreme to be fair, but I know it can take a while, if you stayed in the Army till you were excepted at least you'd have a job?
Not easy is it?

Suggs

Yeah, thats why I've been asking to see what chance you lot think I've got. I need to ask my recruiting sgt to see whether I can sign up to the scheme for the money and then drop out and lose the money if I can get into the brigade, and then if i get rejected ive got my two grand and still have a job and hopefully have a better chance of getting into the brigade after leaving the forces like you say.
Any more advice from anyone would still be helpful if you have something to add.

Wurkit

Suggs,
I think with your last post that you have got it pretty much sussed.
See if you can join up to the PSC scheme and if it is possible for you to 'buy' yourself out of it if you are successful with your brigade application.

Suggs

cheers everyone, got an idea of what to do now.
Thanks

Wurkit

Let us know how you get on

Straight8

Failing all of the other suggestions, telephone recruitment when you reach 18 and tell them you are thinking about going down the transexual route, and woiuld they have any objection if a member of the transexual community were to join?

I'll give it three weeks and you will have an interview. :wink:

Blaze Bear

Thanks GBC :shock: but a more sensible answer would be when you want to join keep and eye out in any of the gay, lesbian or ethnic papers or magazines in your local area. The brigade seems to advertise in these publications first before they go for the local papers.

You could also try place like The Nottinghill carnival or 'gay pride march' where we have a big brigade presence

Rob

Suggs

Blaze Bear

[quote="Suggs"]

Suggs

Thats reassuring to hear, I've just been misinformed by some other people saying that people in ethnic minorities etc have preference.

So the only reason I should fail is if i'm deemed not suitable or dont fill all the requirements (relevant life experience etc.)
Another thing thats been said is that at 18 i'm less likely to get in(especially as a bloke) as i'm 'less mature', is this true, or is it on an inividual basis, like if someone shows they aren't mature enough in tests and activities etc.

MancDan

Just to clear up the misunderstanding about this there is no advantage for Black, Etnic minority or female applicants.

Im a young, white, english male and was able to get into the LFB. Admitedly other Brigades DO positivley discriminate as I have found out with first hand experience.

There does some to be some negative issues surrounding female/ ethnic minority only open days but having worked on them several times in the past few months they don't give out application forms nor does it quarantee the atendees will recieve prefential treatment when recruitment does begin

On my interview (only 18mths ago) all the other applicants who had reached the stage with me where white males.

Blaze Bear

Hey Dan,

I didn't say they got any preferential treatment once in, I meant they actively target the minority groups first.

You are right the brigade doesn't give out applications form at open days but they are trying to minorities, they have no problems getting applications from young white males.

I have no problem with any of this, as long as standards don't drop to accommodate anybody no matter who they are

Rob

Suggs

cheers guys, this has really helped, also seeing as I recently went on a course with the army and it didnt really seem like what i wanted.
What exact reasons would my application form be rejected for so i know how to sort it out so ive got the best chances?

MancDan

I agree that minority groups are targetted more in the inital recruitment stage and do understand why it does get a bad press. (The recent coverage of Avon's open days being a good example).

When I applied the advert was mostly targetting women and ethnic minorities. There was only a small line right at the bottom to clarify that white males where allowed to apply. I know of a few people who didnt apply as they thought it a female only campaign and it would be unfair if that happened gain, althoughh as I said in my previous entry, on my interview it was entirely white males

In terms of what you would get rejected for now then as long as you meet the required criteria age, fitness etc then its really in your hands. I have ben able to help a few people get into various Fire Services in the past year or so. Its more about what you say and the way you say it than anythign else. Suggs, if you PM me your email I will forward some resources on to you. I know your still a year or two off applying but will give you an idea what to expect

Suggs

what do you mean by 'required criteria age' just being too young?

MancDan

Sorry, that was my poor grammar

Should have said 'required criteria, age......'

What i mean by that is that only things out of your control are will get you rejected. I.e not being old enough etc. Everything else is really in your hands, If you do the research and prepare its pretty straight forward.

Recruitment is now pretty fair and even so aslong as you meet the standards required you will get the job

For example, if 70 people reach the interview stage and they all get the pass mark they all get a job. Not like the old days when 70 people would be competing for 12 places

I probably made the whole thing even more confussing so sorry if I have

Suggs

dont worry about it, your helping just like everyone else. seems a little unfair that only things that i cant change will get me rejected :( but im sure that what you mean is that it should only be things that I cant change that get me rejected. :lol: as regards to age when can you join LFB, ive been told its 17 1/2, 17 10mths and 18 on commencement of training ???

p.s. forgot to tell you MancDan i sent you a PM

MancDan

Yeah I got the PM. I sent you some stuff back to your email

It is very hard to find a reason you can't apply now due to equality and diversity. I have worked with firefighters with glasses, astham etc. As long as the brigade can make a reasonable adjustment then they can't discriminate

Once your old enought and as long as you not got a criminal record or any uncontrollable illness or disability then its pretty much in your hands.

You can apply at 17 and 6 months. (Have to be 18 for first day of training but my time it takes from applying to starting at the moment you'd easily be 18 in time) LFB is next recruiting in Sept and that likely to be the last recruitment for a while so when are you 17 and 6 months?

Suggs

bollocks. i wont be 17 1/2 till next december, when do you reckon the one after that'll be, if its more than 4yrs i'll have to look at another brigade. I was thinking of doing another full time college course for electrician or some other trade as I was told itd be a good idea as firefighters only do four days a week, so there is the oppurtunity to make some extra money, and td be better to do it full-time before than doing night-school whilst in the brigade.
can you just transfer across at any time or does it have to be during recruitment or something else?