Thank you for taking the time to apply for the Chairman’s Internship Scheme. Here at RBFRS we are dedicated to providing a more diverse and inclusive place to work.

The Chairman’s Internship Scheme is an opportunity aimed at young people living in Berkshire aged 16-18 and from ethnic groups/backgrounds.

The internship was developed to place the experience and views of young people at the heart of the project. A programme of activities have been developed and tailored to the motivations, career goals and interests of young people in Berkshire.

The scheme is a fantastic opportunity for young people to gain workplace skills and discover the opportunities available in a modern fire and rescue service. Successful applicants will be allocated to a specific ‘home’ department, based on a matching process, interests and location preferences.

Recognising the importance of the contribution interns will make, this is a paid internship opportunity, meaning all interns will receive a salary.

How to apply:

• Go to RBFRS.co.uk
• Click on vacancies
• Click on Chairman’s Internship Scheme
  • Here you will find a range of information about the scheme, including FAQs, an example timetable and other useful resources
• Click on ‘How to Apply’
• On this page you will find the link to the online application portal
• Click ‘Apply Now’ and this will take you into the portal
• Here you will be asked to sign up and create an account
• Once you have created your account you can begin your application
• You will be asked to answer a small number of quick questions to start your application, covering:
  • Eligibility
  • Preferences for location/subject area if successful
  • Equality Monitoring
• The main part of the application will require you to answer five key questions. We have listed these questions below, so you can think about your answers and take time to prepare them in advance if you would like to do so:

Questions you will be asked:

• Question 1: Write about a time when you have been part of or worked in a team – tell us in as much detail as possible about your role in the team and how you contributed to achieve a goal or end result.
• Question 2: Write about a time when you had to communicate with different types of people – tell us in as much detail as possible how you used your written and/or verbal communication skills to get the information across.
• Question 3: Write about a time you looked for ways to improve your skills or knowledge about a particular area – tell us in as much detail as possible about your motivations and how this helped you.
• Question 4: Tell us what how you promote equality and inclusion in your school, community or everyday life – include any examples that demonstrate how you value inclusion, what this means to you and why you believe this is important to do.
• Question 5: Write about a time when you have had to manage different priorities – this could be managing different school deadlines, or managing homework alongside other activities, for example. Tell us in as much detail as possible about how you managed these different demands and how you made sure you could meet any relevant deadlines.

Each of these questions relates to a different aspect of the key skills and behaviours we are looking for – these are explained in more detail in the role advert and role description. They are also listed below for reference.

How to Answer:

We want to hear about your experiences, motivations and views. We don’t expect you to have much, if any, work experience, so we have designed questions that allow you to draw on any experiences you may have from school, clubs or outside activities. We will only be marking the answers on the criteria listed in the advert and role description, mainly relating to the key behaviours/skills listed on these pages. As a reminder, these are:

• Ability to work in a team
• Effective and flexible communication skills
• Enthusiastic and motivated learner – assessed later in the process.
• Value and encourage inclusion
• Share views on change and improvement
• Ability to prioritise and work to deadlines
• Leadership – assessed later in the process.

When answering questions a good method to use is STAR.

• Situation – give an example and necessary details
• Task – describe your responsibilities
• Action – explain the steps you took to address it
• Result – share your outcomes

Answers should be no more than 250 words. There is no minimum amount, but we would recommend writing at least 100 words per question to give sufficient detail for marking.

Example Answer: “One issue I had recently was during a team project in my history class. We each had our section of a presentation to work on, but I noticed a few of the other members were not getting their work done as quickly. The deadline was approaching, and I felt that our finished product would suffer if they did not get started soon.

To help, I gathered the group together and discussed the state of the project. I also offered to help with other sections of the project so that we could finish on time. In the end, we were able to complete everything and receive a good grade.”

Completing your Application:

• Plan when and how you are going to complete your application – remember that the closing date is 10am on 20 April 2022.
• You can consider using a school laptop/computer or completing the application at home. You can also consider using a local library computer if you do not have a laptop or computer at home. You do not have to complete the application in one go, and can edit it as many times as you like.
• If you have any difficulty completing an online application, please contact hr@rbfrs.co.uk to request a paper application form.
• Read the instructions on the application form carefully.
• We have listed the key questions you will be asked above – this means that you can plan your answers in advance, and consider drafting them on a separate document or on paper. You can then copy your final answers into the application form.
• Your teachers/careers advisors or other individuals such as parents/guardians, college tutors, community group or faith group leaders, may be able to check your answers and provide advice.
• When you have completed all sections of the application and are happy click ‘complete’.

Timeline:

• Applications open on Monday 28 March and close at 10am on 20 April 2022.
• Applicants will be contacted regarding the outcome of their application as soon as possible thereafter, or in the week commencing 25 April 2022.
• Candidates who have been shortlisted will then receive an invite to the next stage of the selection process.

Further Help:

You can find out more about RBFRS and the scheme on the other information pages.

You can ask other people for support and advice, including sports team coaches, careers advisors, teachers and tutors, family members and community group leaders, for example.

If you have further questions, you can also contact:

• HR@rbfrs.co.uk

• Chloe Duncan – Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Co-ordinator, duncanc@rbfrs.co.uk

You may also find useful advice elsewhere, including:

• The UK Government’s National Careers Service
• Youth Employment UK
• Indeed’s Career Guide

Please note: RBFRS is not responsible for the content of external sites.