LFB Success - After 8 Years

[Jobbo]

Hello all,

I'm finally able to add my story here.

Tl;dr - I started applying for wholetime positions in 2015, and have finally signed the contract and am starting with LFB in March.

In 2010, I finished my degree in philosophy, and I didn't really know where to go next. My dad told me he imagined the fire service might suit me (I'm not sure why, because in 2010 I didn't have much to show for myself), but the idea stuck with me nonetheless.

In 2014, I applied to join Mid and West Wales FRS as an on-call firefighter, because I had just moved from the countryside into a town with an RDS station. By mid 2015, I was on the run and, remarkably, I really enjoyed it. I had many moments of thinking "I can't believe they're letting me do this, I don't belong here at all", but I think overall I did alright.

I started applying for wholetime positions that same year - first with MAWWFRS, then Avon, Cheshire, Shropshire and Mid and West Wales again by 2016.

Various things came up to prevent me going further - I didn't attend my interview for Shropshire because a good friend of mine died suddenly, and they were unable to provide an alternative date. So, of course, I went to the funeral. My son's due date coincided with another date for Avon. I didn't pass interview after interview for MAWWFRS.

In 2018, I moved back to the countryside and had to give up the on-call position. Fire service recruitment went on the back burner a bit as my job ramped up, another kid came, then COVID.

In the meantime, I had been thinking about PQAs and so on, actively trying to take more responsibility at work, working on teamwork and leadership, problem solving (I work on a farm, and there are endless problems needing solutions so that was easy enough!) I do think this extra self-work helped a lot in preparing for my next bout of applications.

In 2021, I applied for MAWW (again!) and didn't pass the interview. At about the same time, I applied for LFB (thinking I'd never get any further), and Cheshire, South Wales, Merseyside, and North Wales by mid-2022. I had COVID and missed out on North Wales dates, didn't pass the interview for Cheshire, and opted out of Merseyside because I couldn't imagine moving there.

I didn't even pass the initial application for South Wales!

Around this time, it seemed that recruitment was drying up, so I started looking into the ambulance service - I began an application for the Paramedic Science course in Swansea, and booked (and eventually passed) a category CE driving course (I started at C1 and got a bit excited about the possibilities). Just as I was preparing my personal statement and getting references for my UCAS application I had an email from LFB inviting me to an assessment day!

Anyway, I passed the assessment day, absolutely stunned that I did to be honest, I'm so used to it going the other way by now! Then the medical, the fitness, all came round pretty quickly. After that, a long wait of 11 weeks with no word at all, and me driving myself mad, before getting a phone call from LFB on the Monday before Christmas offering me a start date in the spring! Another 4 weeks or so, and here I am having signed the contract and seriously questioning the wisdom of accepting a job on the other side of the country.... 🤷 oh well!

So, as is the message in most of these success stories, don't give up. Good luck!

[Rory-495]

Fantastic news! Well done and welcome to the family!

[Carl]

Well done. Quite a journey you have been on there. I am sure you will enjoy the training and all that LFB has to offer. 

Congratulations.

[Luminoki]

Congrats mate, there is no other feeling like it when you get told youve got a job

[Noddy]

Congratulations mate very well done