Harley Allison

Firefighter, Bishop Auckland Community Fire Station

Harley began his career journey at Bishop Auckland College studying a Level 3 Diploma in Criminology programme, combined with Uniformed Public Services. Upon completion of his studies, Harley was delighted to progress through the stages to become a firefighter and has successfully gained a position with the on-call crew at Bishop Auckland Community Fire Station.

Harley said “My tutors were brilliant on the course and fully prepared me for this role as you need plenty of resilience, physical stamina, integrity and self-discipline. The course was invaluable for my career as it provided amazing opportunities including work placement, volunteering, industry visits and discussions with guest speakers in the sector. During my course, I received regular support from the Student Progression team who supported me with my CV, mock interviews, research into jobs and my overall career planning. As a firefighter, my role involves responding to emergency incidents, protecting people and inspecting and maintaining the appliance and equipment, which all require composure and excellent communication and team skills. I regularly undertake drills and physical training which is a vital part of my role and have completed training in risk critical causes which includes basic water rescue, breathing apparatus and working at heights. I love my new job as a firefighter and work with a great team. My College studies and this role have given me the confidence and experience to apply for a wholetime position within the fire service.”