Is there an age limit to apply for the Wholetime firefighter recruitment process?
There is no upper age limit, however you must be at least 17 years and 6 months at the time of application to ensure you are 18 years old when you commence employment with us.
Are there any minimum or maximum height restrictions for a firefighter?
No, there is no minimum or maximum height requirement to becoming a firefighter.
I am unable to attend the specified dates for the selection process – can I reschedule?
Unfortunately, candidates must be available to attend all elements of the selection process as part of the recruitment campaign, we are unable to offer any rescheduled dates. All stages of the recruitment process are held during usual office hours, we are unable to offer evening or weekend sessions. We publish the dates in advance to support applicants with planning for attendance at the various stages.
If I am unsuccessful at any stage of the process, will I be given the opportunity to retake this?
Regrettably, due to the volume of candidates taking part in this process, we are unable to offer the opportunity to retake any stage of the process.
I currently hold a provisional or an automatic driving licence, can I still apply?
No, you must hold a full manual UK driving licence at the point of application, we are unable to accept applications from candidates who hold provisional or automatic licences, including candidates who have driving tests booked after the application process has closed.
My passport is currently out of date but I do have a valid driving licence, will this be OK?
In order to satisfy the photo identification requirement, as long as your driving licence is a current full UK photo-card driving licence and not the old paper version, this will be an acceptable form of photo identification.
As long as you still resemble the photo in your expired (UK/EU) passport, this will be acceptable ID to prove you have the right to work in the UK, however we will need three valid forms of ID to be able to apply for your Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Standard check if you are successful. Please contact [email protected] if you are not sure whether you have adequate ID documents.
I have a criminal conviction, can I still apply?
We are unable to accept applications from anyone with unspent conditional cautions or convictions. Please refer to our pre-employment check page for further information and our criminal record check policy statement for further information regarding the recruitment of ex-offenders: https://www.dwfire.org.uk/working-for-us/pre-employment-checks/
I already hold Maths and English qualifications at Level 2, do I still have to do the online tests?
Yes, our recruitment process requires all applicants to complete the same process, this includes the online Ability Tests measuring Verbal, Numerical, and Mechanical reasoning.
Would a payslip be sufficient evidence of my National Insurance (NI) number?
No, a payslip is not proof of NI number. Please refer to our pre-employment check page where you will find further information on identity and right to work checks: https://www.dwfire.org.uk/working-for-us/pre-employment-checks/
I have tattoos / piercings, can I still apply?
Provided your tattoos are not deemed offensive or contradictory to the Service’s values or public image, it is acceptable to have tattoos which are visible. However, facial tattoos are not generally permitted as it is felt they may detract from the positive public image of the Service. An assessment would be made on an individual basis to take into account religious and cultural beliefs. You will be asked to remove piercings as a matter of health & safety to participate in the recruitment process or during working hours, if you are successfully appointed; however, this will not prevent you from applying.
I have a beard, can I still apply?
In order to ensure a secure seal for breathing apparatus, firefighters must not have any facial hair within this area for health and safety reasons. If your facial hair has a religious significance, we require that facial hair must be removed from areas where a BA mask seals on the face in order to achieve a satisfactory seal.
What if I wear a religious headdress?
Some faiths require an individual to wear a particular head covering or the hair in a certain way. The Service allows this wherever it does not interfere with the wearing of PPE. For example, a firefighter could wear a turban in any circumstances where other headwear is not required but must be prepared to remove it to put on a helmet.
I fast for religious reasons, will that prevent me from becoming a firefighter?
If you are fasting during Ramadan, as an example, we will work with you during operational duties to accommodate your needs. This is to support and protect you, your colleagues and your community for health and safety reasons.
Are there any geographical restrictions to this recruitment process?
No, this is a national recruitment campaign. Please note, we do not offer relocation expenses.
What is the pass mark for the online assessments?
We do not advertise the pass marks of the online assessments. Applicants will receive an email informing them whether they have been successful at each stage of the online tests. If you are successful at the online assessment stage, verification will take place at the Practical Assessment Stage. Details of the online assessments including practice tests can be found here.
How long is the interview and presentation?
The interview will last approximately 50 minutes, including a short presentation. Full details regarding the interview and presentation will be sent to candidates in advance. For further details regarding the interview and presentation stage, please refer to Recruitment Guides 5 and 6 on our website.
What is the topic for the presentation?
You will be advised of this if you are invited to the presentation and interview stage. The topic will not require you to have any specific previous experience or specialised knowledge.
Do you support military reservists?
We do support a number of staff as reservists and hold the Silver award of the Armed Forces Covenant. If you were successfully offered a position through this process, we would discuss this with you on a case-by-case basis. Please see the following link for more information https://www.dwfire.org.uk/about-us/what-we-do/supporting-our-military-community/
I have previously been unsuccessful in a Firefighter application for either DWFRS or another service. Do I have to wait for a set period of time before I can apply for this process?
No. We are happy to receive applications from anyone who meets the eligibility criteria listed on the advert.
How long does the recruitment process take?
The whole process takes approximately 6 months to complete. We are expecting a high number of applicants, therefore each stage will take place over a number of weeks. The timeline will be advertised on our main Wholetime Recruitment page on our website in advance of the process going live. More detailed information relating to timescales and deadlines will be published in the Candidate Information Pack with the advert.
What is the most challenging part of the recruitment process?
We would recommend that candidates familiarise themselves with all stages of the recruitment process using the Recruitment Guides as everyone will have strengths or weaknesses in different areas, and this depends on the individual. We highly recommend candidates practice and familiarise themselves with the bleep test Further information and resources relating to each stage of the process, and how to prepare, can be found on the website.
Do I need to have an up-to-date CV for the application stage?
No, we do not accept CVs. The application stage will be our online application form.
How many Firefighters do you plan to recruit?
We are not able to be specific about the number of appointments that will initially be made at this time. However, it is envisaged that there will be a number of initial appointments but that we will also be populating a recruitment pool from which we will look to fill future vacancies. We will endeavour to regularly update candidates in the pool of developments and vacancies.
Pool:
We fill a number of vacancies from our processes; however, we also usually hold a pool of successful candidates that we can offer positions to as further vacancies arise.
Feedback:
Due to the high volume of applications we receive, it is not possible to provide individual feedback to candidates at each stage in the process.