Be a firefighter (From Penarth Times)

Be a firefighter

PENARTH firefighters are backing a national recruitment campaign. They visited the town's Jobcentre Plus as part of a campaign to boost the number of women and ethnic minority groups joining the South Wales Fire and Rescue service as full time firefighters.

Throughout October, female firefighters and Fire and Rescue Service recruitment staff will visit more than 20 jobcentres in the South Wales area to speak to members of the public - targeting females and ethnic minorities - about the profession, in readiness for a major recruitment drive in November.

In South Wales, just 10 of the 943 full-time firefighters are women. Avril Sim, 29, joined the fire service last March.

She said: "I'm a mum of two and I worked as a child minder for nine years.

"But now I combine my work at the fire station with my family life, looking after my daughter Drew, who's eight and Scott, who's five. They get the added bonus of seeing their mum taking the fire kit to school and showing the other kids, as I did just recently."

Chief Fire Officer of South Wales Fire and Rescue Service, Brian Fraser, said: "To create a modern and diverse fire and rescue service, we need to reflect the communities that we serve.

"South Wales Fire and Rescue Service is committed to equal opportunities, and we hope that by developing a positive action strategy aimed at increasing awareness and interest from the under-represented groups within our community, we will encourage more people from these groups to consider a career as a firefighter."

Alan Nicholas, Wales Marketing Manager for Jobcentre Plus, added: "We are delighted to be working in partnership with the Fire and Rescue Service in South Wales.

"Our dedicated network of Jobcentres and staff will promote the open days within their local areas and provide a service to match the customer's recruitment need. We will also advertise open days on our website www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk , and the vacancies on jobpoint touchscreens in Jobcentre Plus offices and Jobcentres."