Training

RFS volunteers training The NSW RFS is committed to developing the capability of members, so they can respond appropriately, effectively and safely in times of emergency. The NSW RFS offers a wide variety of training programs to cater to the different operational and non-operational needs of the Service. The training offered to members is developmental and encourages personal advancement as a member’s experience within the Service increases.

The NSW RFS is a Registered Training Organisation (RTO - #6970) and the majority of training offered is linked to national qualifications, which are recognised outside the Service. Internally, training is consolidated into five identifiable bands from ‘Foundation’ through to ‘Strategic’. The training bands outlined below allow members to better identify, plan and navigate their own learning pathways during their time with the Service.

More information on:

Training information booklet
Trainers and assessors
Resources

	Foundation	Training qualifications which provide basic through to intermediate skills and knowledge in preparation for working under direct supervision within a team or crew
	Technical	Training qualifications which provide intermediate through to advanced skills and knowledge in preparation for working at an advanced level without direct supervision within a team or crew
	Supervision	Training qualification which provide advanced skills and knowledge in preparation for supervising and mentoring a team or crew to carry out duties effectively
	Command	Training qualifications which provide highly advanced skills and knowledge in preparation for taking command or control of large operations, planning and/or leading multiple teams or crews
	Strategic	Training qualifications which provide specialised skills and knowledge in preparation for providing expert and strategic direction across multiple large incidents or campaigns

The NSW RFS promotes and supports a flexible, blended approach to learning. The use of face to face learning, mixed with interactive and self-paced activities has ensured different learners individual needs are catered for.

Training Information Booklet

The Training Information Booklet allows members to readily locate information about courses, learning pathways and most importantly better understand their rights and obligations as a trainee and/or trainer and assessor, when involved in training within the NSW RFS.

We encourage all prospective and existing members to read the information contained in the Training Information Booklet.

The Training Information Booklet includes the following information:

Structure of Training in the NSW RFS
Information for trainees including
- enrolment
- nominating for courses
- recognition of prior learning
- language, literacy and numeracy (LLN)
- assessment and certification
- appeals
- disciplinary procedures
- training records and privacy
- feedback
- fees and charges
National qualifications on scope
Course overviews for
- Mainstream qualifications including Safety induction (SI), Bush Firefighter (BF), Village Firefighter (VF),Advanced Firefighter (AF), Crew Leader Wildfire (CLW), Crew Leader Village (CLV),Crew Leader Supervision (CLS) and Group Leader (GL)
- Grassland qualifications including Bush Firefighter Grassland (BFG), Vehicle/Structure F/F in Grasslands (VSG), Crew Leader Grassland (CLG) and Group Leader Grassland (GLG)
- Specialist qualifications including Breathing Apparatus Operator (BAO), Catering Assistant (CAT), Communications Centre Assistant (CCA), Rural Fire Driving (RFD), Trim and Cross Cut Fallen Trees (TFT), First Aid Application (FAA) or equivalent and Fire Investigation – Wildfire (WFI)
- Aviation qualifications
- Incident management qualifications
- Trainer and assessor qualifications
- Community engagement qualifications
Overview of relevant Service Standards
Overview of Learning and Development resources, guidelines and toolkits
Gap analysis tools (charts) mapping NSW RFS courses to full certificate qualifications

The Training Information Booklet is available to all prospective and existing members.

Trainers and Assessors

Highly trained NSW RFS Trainers and Assessors are integral to nurturing the development of members in the Service. The NSW RFS values the contribution of Trainer and Assessor’s and meets their professional development needs by:

Providing professional development programs such as Learning Development Workshops (LDW) and Professional Development Workshops (PDW)
Conducting Learning and Development forums
Disseminating Learning and Development circulars, toolkits, guides and fact sheets

Trainers and assessors who deliver any Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) qualification or a skill set from the Training and Education Training Package are required to undertake professional development in the fields of:

knowledge and practice of vocational training, and
learning and assessment, including competency-based training and assessment.

Trainers and Assessors maintain their subject matter expertise, in part, by being active members of their brigade and responding to call outs to incidents.

Resources

The Learning and Development team are responsible for:

determining the systems which govern how training is conducted in the NSW RFS and has developed and published a set of ‘rules’ called Training Standard Operating Procedures (or SOPs), which allow the NSW RFS to comply with the National Vocational Education and Training (VET) Standards for training (required by the Australian Skills Quality Authority - ASQA).
for developing training resources to assist members involved in training. These user manual, guidelines and toolkit are available via the member portal MyRFS or a copy can be supplied on request.
- User manuals
  - SAP LSO user manual
  - Fuel user manual
  - Online ordering guide
- Guidelines and toolkits
  - Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) guidelines
  - Language, Literacy and Numeracy (LLN) guide
  - Blended learning toolkit
  - Learning and Development (L&D) webinar series

Thursday 7 December 2017 at 1:40pm