The South Australian Metropolitan Fire Service (MFS) is looking to boost the diversity of its firefighting workforce with the launch of a new recruitment campaign targeting women and culturally diverse people.
Chief Officer for the MFS, Michael Morgan said the organisation was challenging historical stereotypes of who was, could and should be a firefighter.
Chief Officer Morgan said the proactive campaign’s tagline of Challenge your Potential urged people to challenge what they could achieve in their career – and look to become a firefighter.
He said the goal of the campaign was to see the MFS’s firefighting workforce increasingly reflect the diversity within the community it served.
“The MFS is urging community-minded, fit people who may never have considered firefighting before, to challenge their potential – and apply,” Chief Officer Morgan said.
“There would be many women and culturally-diverse people who would suit the team environment of firefighting but who’ve never thought it’s a possibility for them,” he said.
“Our recruitment campaign is about reaching those people, asking them to research firefighting on our website and apply.”
Chief Officer Morgan said MFS had seen the number of female firefighters double since 2015, when the Service initially increased its focus on diversity.
“Currently we have 24 full-time female firefighters, with eight of those being recruited since the 2018 campaign, while applications from people from cultural and linguistically-diverse backgrounds have also jumped,” he said.
Chief Officer Morgan said the application period, open until 20 May, had been extended this year, “meaning that the public can apply throughout the entire duration of the four-week campaign”.
Further information on the recruitment and selection process can be accessed at this PS News link.
