First Nations firefighter pathway narrows field after Sydney station workshop

First Nations applicants have been put through interviews and physical tasks at the City of Sydney Fire Station as part of a Fire and Rescue NSW effort to lift Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representation in frontline firefighting roles.

The ABC reported more than 100 people applied, with 40 selected for a two-day workshop, and about 20 expected to be offered a place to progress to the Indigenous Fire and Rescue Employment Strategy (IFARES) program.

The workshop included simulations designed to mirror core firefighter tasks, including hauling equipment, handling hoses, working with ladders, and completing movement drills that form part of a physical aptitude test.

Participant Abbee Bortkevitch-Smith, a mother of four and a Kamilaroi woman, said it was not yet “set in stone”, but she planned to push herself as hard as possible. She said being with other Aboriginal people in the program helped create a sense of safety while learning.

The workshop is a feeder into IFARES, which is a job-readiness program aimed at increasing the number of Indigenous people in the sector. While the training is intended to provide minimum qualifications and guidance for the broader recruitment process, the selection for the course does not guarantee a firefighting job.

As of mid-2025, 5.63 per cent of Fire and Rescue NSW full-time firefighting staff were Indigenous, and the IFARES pathway has helped more than 80 First Nations people become firefighters over the past decade.

The 11 IFARES graduates were offered full-time positions with Fire and Rescue NSW in 2025.

Fire and Rescue NSW and its partners have previously described IFARES as a pathway that builds qualifications and practical experience to help candidates compete in a highly selective recruitment process, rather than a direct-entry job offer.