A British asian firefighter from Sheffield is backing a major new drive by South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue (SYFR) to recruit more female and black and minority ethnic (BME) firefighters.
Tasab Nabi, a full time firefighter at Mansfield Road fire station, is backing SYFR's recruitment awareness campaign, which bids to make the organisation more representative of the communities it serves.
Tasab said:
"Being a firefighter is a fantastic opportunity to make a difference to people's lives and serve a public which really appreciates the work that you do. Some British asian families might not consider firefighting as a career as it is not traditionally associated with being an academic job, but there are plenty of opportunities for attaining training and qualifications along the way. "
Women are also being targeted in the awareness campaign, with females urged to come forward and find out more about firefighting as a career.
SYFR Director of Service Development Mark Shaw said:
“Perceptions of the fire service as being a white male dominated organisation are changing and here in South Yorkshire we have already come a very long way, with female and BME firefighters on the front line at fire stations all over the county.”
Awareness sessions and recruitment days are being held throughout January and February to help clarify and dispel many of the preconceptions people from underrepresented areas of the community might have about joining the fire service.
For more information on recruitment days and events text JOBS to 87023, visit http://www.syfire.gov.uk/ or call 253 2479.
The selection process includes:
Online application
Written tests
Physical tests
Interview
Medical checks
References and criminal records bureau checks
Salary:
£20,896 as a trainee
£27,851 when fully competent
Opportunities for career progression thereafter
South Yorkshire firefighters attend a wide range of incidents, including fires, chemical spillages and road traffic collisions. But as well, the role of a firefighter includes:
Carrying out home safety checks and fitting free smoke alarms
Visiting schools, colleges and bussinesses to carry out educational work
Working with young people on station-based courses
To apply:
Text JOBS to 87023
Call 0114 253 2479
To find out more:
Follow us on http://www.twitter.com/syfr