Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service – NVQ Level 3

The Fire and Rescue Service (FRS) does not require academic qualifications from new recruits. It does however require recruits to take and pass a series of practical entry tests.  Firefighters are then required to meet national occupational standards. Consequently, a firefighter could go through a 30-year career without obtaining a career-related academic qualification.

NVQs were introduced in the FRS a decade ago, with the Firefighter NVQ set at Level 3.  However the take-up by Brigades was slow and required a budgetary awareness. Some Brigades did see the relevance but limited the qualification to new entrants, thus denying existing firefighters the transferable skills opportunity that the NVQ would provide.

Offering a qualification recognised by other employers

The Fire Brigades Union began a Union Learning Fund project and, working with the Northumberland FRS, recognised the importance of offering a qualification for all at Level 3. This would not be just a firefighter qualification but one which contained transferable skills elements and at ‘A’ level standard. This would be attractive to firefighters leaving the FRS and having to take up other employment.

Supporting firefighters to take the first step

It was recognised that a number of employees within the FRS would have difficulties with the skills underpinning a NVQ Level 3 and so they introduced an initial assessment of their “Skills for Life” (literacy and numeracy) before enrolling them on to the NVQ. This was carried out by the FBU learndirect learning centres. Following that assessment the ULF project’s Skills for Life tutor guided the learners appropriately according to their needs.  Those without a Level 2 qualification in English and maths sat National Tests in literacy and numeracy, thus gaining another qualification en route to their NVQ.

Now, all applicants to Northumberland FRS have to undertake and pass the FRS recruitment process prior to taking up a trainee post. They are then enrolled by the FRS on the NVQ, they sit the initial Skills for Life assessment through the FBU learning centre, receive appropriate guidance and access to courses leading to level 2 National Tests, and are offered guidance and access to additional courses to help them achieve a Level 3 NVQ.

Benefits to the service and individuals

Trevor Shanahan, the FBU’s ULF Project Manager said,

“Individuals within the FRS in Northumberland will all have attained Skills for Life at a good level and a Level 3 NVQ which proves ability to work at ‘A’ level standard. They will also have gained skills transferable to other occupations, thus providing better employability chances when leaving the FRS, more understanding of their responsibilities, an opportunity to accredit current skills and develop new skills leading to qualifications with external value. All this will mean further opportunity to advance within the FRS.”

He went on to say,

“The FRS will benefit by having a far more skilled workforce, reduced health and safety issues, and a workforce with the ability to understand and take on new challenges. This initiative will show the employer’s commitment to having an academically and practically skilled workforce capable of the challenges that the FRS will face in the future.”