Jump to content

LFB Apprenticeship


Slade1890

Recommended Posts

Saw today that LFB seemingly have decided to include an apprenticeship in there trainee firefighter courses from October 2018. Seems that they haven't gone down the Bucks Fire route and reduced salaries so that's promising. Anyone on recent intake been told about this?

Link to comment

My guess is that it will be a “bolt on” to your planned development, the government has the bit between its teeth about apprenticeships now, i think they are penalising firms that dont offer them. Sounds like a tick box exercise, i think @Jamiejet had something similar for his LFB development, long before he scuttled off the land of rain and hot pots

Link to comment

Seemingly because of the Apprenticeship levy from the government that LFB will get for each new recruit it actually will save LFB money on training costs even with the changes to the babcock contract. Hopefully means that LFB will be able to spend that money on other needs. 

(Or the Tories will steal those savings for their next stupid idea/pay increase) 

Link to comment

We’re on it in Kent. We didn’t get told until near the end of the recruit course. We were told if a company employed over a certain number of people, the company has to pay into an apprenticeship levy and if they don’t employ any apprentices, they lose that money. If apprentices are employed, they draw so much money from the levy per apprentice.

Link to comment

I was on some sort of token scheme that was never properly explained to me. I had one assessment on station and heard absolutely nothing afterwards so as far as I’m concerned I never did an apprenticeship. I think it was right around the time Boris promised to deliver so many apprenticeships in the capital...?

Link to comment

I have a question. I start training school for LFB on the 17th of December, which as I read here, will make me an apprentice firefighter? 

This source says an apprentice can't work more than 40 hours a week. Assuming training school is a 9-5 deal with an hour unpaid lunch, that's 7 hours a day. Claire said due to the start date of our course, we will have Christmas off, but the hand off for that is working some Saturdays to make up time. That will put us at 42 hours a week. 

I, of course, do not care about working 42 hours a week. In no way am I complaining. I know there are thousands who would kill to be in my position. I'm just wondering how they're going to make it work? 

Another note, I assume we are 'apprentices' until we complete firefighter development and switch to competent pay? As I understand, LFBs shift pattern is 2 days @ 10.5 hour shifts and 2 nights @ 13.5 hours: a working week of 48 hours. Without OT, this is still 8 hours over the 'apprentice legal limit'. 

Again, not a single complaint from me. Could anyone give any insight into how this works?

Link to comment

The 2,2,4 Duty system (which is actually 2,2,3 but let’s not start that one) is a 42 hour week.  You must remember that it is an 8 day rota, not 7, so over a period of 8 weeks your average hours per week worked is 42, as per your contract. 

And as an apprentice.... 7x5 = 35 Hours a week so I don’t follow? 

Link to comment

@Lumie in terms of the length of the apprenticeship - it looks as though it will be done over the first 18 months. Then you continue the development plan to become competent. The two are treated separately from what I have read. Guess we will find out more on the 9th Nov

Link to comment

working hours for training school are 0830-1700 with babcock having permission to keep you until 1800. No idea about how lunch works but I assume it will be 30 minutes unpaid.

Link to comment

@Noddy

Quote

And as an apprentice.... 7x5 = 35 Hours a week so I don’t follow? 

I was getting at the fact we have Christmas off, which means we will be training on Saturdays once we come back in the New Year to make up for the Christmas period not training per se (I understand we will have some 'homework'). This adds another 7 hour day to the working week for 'apprentices', thus taking them over that 40 hour legal limit. 

Just to reiterate, I support the idea. I just don't see how Babcock/LFB are spinning us off as apprentices if we're over the 40 hour limit for the last few weeks.

Link to comment

The 40 hour limit is for under 18s. It’s a 48 hour limit for over 18s but you can work longer than this on the occasional week, as long as your weekly average over a 17 week period is less than 48 hours per week. I hope that makes sense 

Link to comment

Hi All,

I've just (8 minutes ago) received an email from LFB advising me of the apprenticeship scheme. Only major different I can see currently is you will completing the apprenticeship ON TOP of the training we will already be doing. Prior to the welcome day, in addition to the pre course learning, we will have to do 2 skill assessments and an online application for the Apprenticeship.

They have stressed that the offer of employment is not linked to any assessment in relation to the Apprenticeship assessments, they are just to gauge our levels of proficiency.

  • Like 1
Link to comment

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...