Success In Avon

[Jack2250]

What a year it has been for all of us. Let’s hope 2021 will be much kinder to us but for me it’ll start with a new job!! 

Firstly I’d like to thank @JonesMrJones, reading your story has really helped me through this process as I got so much advice from your posts. I will be leaving the Royal Navy after doing 6 and a half years to join Avon Fire and Rescue Service so hopefully I’ll get a chance to meet you in person at some point next year. 

It all started back in March, I think, when AF&RS started their most recent recruitment campaign. I had applied last year too but unfortunately I didn’t get past the online application form stage. After applying, I had some discussions with the HR team as to whether I was eligible to apply due to where I live, (the process being postcode restricted) the issue being I have a Wotton under-edge address, Wotton being in Gloucestershire, however the house stands about 100 meters within the South Gloucestershire boarder. So after clearing that up it was onto the online tests. Applying last year meant, that for this part at least, I knew exactly what to expect and passed. 

It was at this point in the year that Covid reared its ugly head however, it didn’t yet disrupt the process as next it was the online application form. I was lucky enough to be on HMS Protector at the time and, having returned from American on her just before Christmas 2019, she was now in dry dock and the crew was able to fall into 2 watches and work a 2 week on, 2 week off routine. This meant I now had a solid 2 weeks that I could work solely on my application form. I didn’t want to constantly refer back to the Royal Navy however it held me in good stead as all the service values and PQAs the form asked me to demonstrate I had an example for without having to think too hard. From memory, the form was submitted mid April and it wasn’t until 22nd of June that I had an email through confirming that I had scored sufficiently and was through to the fitness test stage. 

Due to COVID this is where the longest wait was and, while waiting for information about the fitness test, I changed ships in a pre-planned move. I moved from HMS Protector on to HMS Express which was based in Cardiff. It wasn’t until 11th of September that I did my fitness and strength tests at Hicks Gate Fire Station. I went to the test confident in my ability and with no fear of my capabilities but with a little inkling in the back of my mind that one wrong move on the ladder climb and it would all be over. I gave it my all on the equipment carry which in my eyes is as hard as you make it and you want to make it hard. If you’re not puffing with your hands on your knees at the end of it then you haven’t worked hard enough. When you haven’t got equipment in your hands, sprint as fast as you can, and if you have then walk like the wind. Impress the assessors and show that you want to be there by giving it your all. That can be said for all the tests on the day. 

I waited about a week to hear back that I’d scored highly enough and that I was through to the interview stage. 

For the interview stage I had to select a date and time which wasn’t easy as the ship wasn’t going to be anywhere near Cardiff or Bristol for any of the dates, instead it was probably as far away from Bristol as it could have been while still in the UK. Wick, Scotland is where the ship was going to be. To attend my interview I had an 8 hour train journey from Wick to Edinburgh followed by a flight to Bristol which got me in at 12 midnight the day before the interview. I had the interview and then had the reverse journey back up to Wick to get me back ready for the ship to sail. All in all it was a 1,200 mile round trip. The interview itself was awful and I came away thinking that I’d fluffed it. I had made answers to every PQA example I could think of ready to just transport myself back to the scenario and retell the story, structured as much as I could in the STAR format. I was expecting some scenario-based questions like “what would you do in this situation?” and although 2 of those questions cropped up I wasn’t expecting them at all and had to really think on my feet. I genuinely can’t remember half the questions I was asked and I don’t think the HR department would appreciate me saying what questions I do remember however, all I will say is have mental health in the back of your mind. It’s a subject I wasn’t expecting to crop up. A week later I received the email that I really didn’t expect, the success email. I had scored within the top 16 and in a normal year I would have been rejoicing but this wasn’t any normal year. Due to the Covid restrictions we were told that they might not be able to take all 16 and to standby for the potential for the numbers to be cut which, in the end to the best of my knowledge, never happened. So onto the medical. 

By the time the medial came around the ship was on the West side of Scotland (anyone with a bit of knowledge of the Royal Navy can guess where) and I was able to get a bit of time at home which fell perfectly over my medical date. The Medical again I had no fear about. I knew my health was in good order and I passed with no issue. After my medical certificate was sent onto AFRS I got a conditional offer to start on the 11th of January 2021.

For most people who get through, that is now the hard part over, but not for me. Normally, to leave the Royal Navy, I’d have to give 12 months notice but here I was asking to leave in just over 2 months. A very big ask and something that I had absolutely no control over at all. Luckily I have a brilliant captain who has my interests at heart who fought my corner right to the end. AF&RS needed me to confirm my full attendance by the morning of Monday the 16th of November, the Navy finally made their decision on the Friday afternoon before and obviously they made the right one, in my eyes anyway, hence I’m able to write this today. 

That’s my story, and I hope to hear a few more storys coming from the AFRS 2021 intake. Please feel free to ask questions and I wish everybody who is going through the process or thinking about it all the very best!!

[JuanFran]

Awesome story, you really worked hard. Congratulations. 

[Carl]

Very good story of how you faced all those issues and still got there in the end. A very big well done, congratulations, clearly well deserved and as I always say, we hope you stick around and stay on the forums. 

Well done.

[Andy1]

Well done @Jack2250 congratulations. Enjoy what lies ahead. Some journey that for an interview but without a doubt worth it! 

[Jack2250]

Thank you for your messages, means a lot and don’t worry @Carl I fully intend to stick around. 

[Noddy]

Top man well done 👍👍

[WTTJ]

Welcome to Avon. Look forward to seeing you on jobs in the future

[Webby]

Well done mate, welcome to the best job in the world 👍

[Tryfan]

Well done @Jack2250! You have a very good captain fighting your corner! Unfortunately I was in a similar position with HWFS end of last last year. The gave me a provisional offer on Nov with a start date of Jan 21. However,  RAF manning were less helpful to release me with 2 months notice and didn’t grant my early PVR. Very much out of my control and hard to replace me in my current posting. So I’m currently sat on the holding list/pool hoping they take on in the next 18 months. The recruitment team have been really good at keeping me in the loop so far which has been fab! Fingers crossed 🤞 
 

Reading your story has really spurred me on should the opportunity present itself to really push them to release me early and not give up pestering them to let me go as all I’ve aspired to do is join the fire service and I can’t bear to be told no a second time for the career of a lifetime. 

[Airze]

Well done, excellent stuff. Well proud for you 😊