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When recruitment is open you can apply by clicking ‘Apply now’ on this site. You’ll be taken to the firefighter application page. You’ll be asked to provide basic personal information before moving on to the online tests.
When the recruitment round closes everyone who has applied will be emailed a link to the first set of online tests: the online job preview questionnaire, behavioural assessment and situational judgement test.
If you’re successful you’ll progress to the second set of online tests.
If you have been successful in the first tests, you’ll be sent a link to the second set of online tests: verbal, numerical and mechanical reasoning tests. These are, roughly, at GCSE level.
If you’re successful you’ll progress to the Assessment Centre.
The assessment centre consists of:
If you’re successful you’ll progress to the physical fitness tests.
Candidates will be required to pass six physical job-related tests which include:
Check out our Fitness tests page for more information about this stage.
If you successfully pass the physical tests you will be asked to attend a medical where you will be examined by our medical team. You will be asked to complete a questionnaire covering your medical history and will then be subject to a series of tests. Your medical records may also need to be obtained from your GP.
Wearing glasses or contact lenses isn't a problem, but you'll need to meet certain requirements, including ‘acceptable’ colour vision. Also, only certain types of laser eye surgery are permitted, and you'll need to wait one year after laser eye surgery before you will be considered.
Full details about the range of eye tests you'll need to pass will be provided during the selection process.
You will still be able to apply. If you get to the medical stage of the recruitment process, the seriousness of your colour deficiency will be assessed and a risk assessment will be made.
If you pass the medical requirements, we'll ask you for references.
You'll be asked to provide:
Once we receive your references and have checked them, you'll move on to pre-course learning.
You'll do six weeks of pre-course learning, with all materials needed supplied free of charge. The pre-course learning is done in your own time and is evaluated just before you start the full-time paid training.
Following the successful completion of the 6 weeks pre-course learning you will move onto an 11 week course of full training before you become a Firefighter.
During these 11 weeks you will earn the trainee firefighter salary of £26,211 pa including London Weighting.