Growing your firefighter career

Your future, your way

At Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service (CFRS), we don’t just put out fires - we help careers ignite too.

From the moment you join us as a wholetime firefighter, your journey of growth and development begins. We believe that learning should never stop, and that everyone - no matter where they are in their career - deserves the chance to build new skills, explore their potential and aim for whatever’s next.

Whether you're just settling into your new role or already thinking about what your next steps might be, we're here to support you. Our goal? To create a culture where lifelong learning is the norm and fulfilling your potential is a reality.

It’s all about you and your goals

Want to fine-tune your leadership skills? Ready to take on more responsibility? Or maybe you're simply keen to grow within your current role? Wherever you see yourself heading, we’ve got the tools, training, and support to help you get there.

Once you’ve completed your initial operational training, you might want to start building on your soft skills too - things like communication, decision-making or teamwork. These are essential whether you're staying in your current role or eyeing a promotion down the line.

Career pathways that fit your ambition

Everyone’s journey looks a little different - and that’s a good thing! We’ll help you create a personalised career path that suits your interests, strengths, and aspirations. It’s about finding what drives you and setting a course that matches.

Creating a career plan takes time and reflection, but it’s worth it. It helps you stay focused, see your progress and spot opportunities as they come up. Even if your plans change (and they often do), having a roadmap helps keep you motivated and moving forward.

We have development portfolios, which is made up of the required skills, experience and behaviours at either crew commander, watch commander or station commander rank. By completing one of these portfolios, you are upskilling, increasing confidence and becoming eligible to move into that next position.

We also have a number of development programmes suitable for those who want to develop their soft skills and for those who want to progress into first level or middle leadership. All of our learning is aligned with our leadership framework, and everything we do is built around our values and behaviours.

Development that works for you

Here’s the best part - learning and growing at CFRS doesn’t always mean moving up the ladder. Sometimes the most rewarding opportunities come from working on new projects, stepping into a different role, or building new skills where you are right now. Lateral moves across the Service - or even secondments to other services - can open up exciting, unexpected paths.

So, wherever you’re headed in your firefighting career, know this: you’re not doing it alone. At CFRS, we’re behind you every step of the way - cheering you on, challenging you to grow, and helping you build a career you’re proud of.

Let’s shape your future, together!