Operations manager of training and development James Dullard said new recruits participated in an 18-week course and were equipped to further their skills through 36-weeks of intensive training.

“This training is really a lead into a career of 36-weeks of training and assignments,” he said.

“I’ve been in the CFA for 28 years and I am still doing training.” 

Recruits Brad Hancock and Matt Boore started at Ballarat City Fire Station yesterday and were the first firefighters at the station who had not been trained at Fiskville.

“It’s the same course, a difference location,” Mr Dullard said.

Mr Hancock was excited to launch a new career for the third time.

The ex-police officer had dabbled in teaching before choosing to give firefighting a shot.

Co-recruit Matt Boore volunteered with the CFA at Ocean Grove for seven years and sold paint, before starting his recruit course this year.

The pair were thrown into the thick of things, attending a house fire on their first shift which gave the pair their first real firefighting experience. 

Mr Hancock had always been attracted to work in emergency services, but said their were many differences between police work and firefighting.

“So far, firefighting seems a lot more intensive,” Mr Hancock said.

“The training was set over 18-weeks and there was a fair bit of classroom work and exposure to different circumstances,” he said.

He enjoyed learning to use the breathing apparatus by participating in a variety of different drills.

Mr Boore said the difference between recruit training and volunteer firefighting seemed immense.

“Mainly the difference is the equipment,” Mr Boore said.

He was learning how to use equipment with specialist applications onsite.

Senior station officer Stephen Poulter said career firefighting attracted people from a diverse range of backgrounds and careers, and was particularly popular with ex-military personnel.

He said recruits followed a statewide development program and did area-specific tasks such as identifying risks in the Ballarat area.

Mr Dullard said the recruits had trained on a four-day on four-day off rotation at Craigieburn that mirrored their shift work.

“The change was made for logistical reasons because we have a large number of recruits coming in this year,” he said.

Ballan Fire Brigade Lieutenant Ian Ireland said after the closure of Fiskville the community needed reassurance that all firefighters had local access to appropriate training facilities.

A CFA media spokeswoman said future CFA recruit training courses would be conducted at the Craigieburn site.

The recruits are looking forward to an exciting career.