Hosted at Nottingham Road Community Fire Station, the visit offered students a realistic insight into the skills, responsibilities and teamwork required within today’s fire and rescue service.
Working closely with Green Watch, students took part in a series of hands‑on training exercises designed to mirror real operational scenarios.
Realistic firefighter training activities
Throughout the visit, students were challenged with a variety of practical drills, including:
- Fitness and strength exercises
- Virtual reality simulations
- Teamwork and communication challenges
- Operational decision-making tasks
Students also had the rare chance to enter the station’s smoke house facility, wearing full protective kit and breathing apparatus.
Inside the smoke‑filled environment, they were tasked with locating casualties—giving them first-hand experience of the pressure and complexity of real emergency situations.
Developing essential skills for the fire service
The day helped students build a deeper understanding of:
- The physical and mental demands of a firefighting career
- The importance of teamwork, leadership and communication
- Real-world problem solving in high‑pressure environments
Praise from Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service
Mark Straw, Watch Manager at Nottingham Road Community Fire Station, praised the students for their professionalism and effort:
“We want to support Derby College students in their goal to become part of Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service.
“Having them onsite and able to talk to the team about their roles is incredibly useful. They have applied themselves really well today, and we hope to see them starting their career with us soon.”
Learning directly from firefighters and new recruits
As well as completing practical activities, students spoke with both experienced firefighters and recent recruits about:
- Career pathways
- Skills required for the service
- What to expect during the recruitment process
A key highlight was hearing from Morgan, a recent recruit who shared her personal journey into the service. Her honest insights helped students understand how to prepare and what the role truly involves.
Supporting career ambitions through real‑world experience
Nik Henson, Curriculum Manager for Public Services at DCG, emphasised how valuable industry engagement is for learners:
“Whilst we can develop skills in the classroom, there is no substitute for the specialist knowledge and experience shared by Green Watch and the Community Engagement Team.
“Experiences like this bring learning to life and show students exactly what a career in the fire service involves.”
For many students, especially the fifteen who hope to join the fire service, the day strengthened their ambition and gave them clearer direction on the pathway into the profession.
Connecting education with employment
The visit forms part of Derby College Group’s ongoing commitment to providing meaningful employer engagement opportunities.
By partnering with organisations like Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service, DCG ensures students gain practical, career‑focused insight into public service roles.
For the students who attended, the experience was both inspiring and motivating as they continue working towards future careers in the emergency services.
