Transcript National Interagency Wildland Firefighter Apprenticeship

Program Orientation
for
Apprentices & Supervisors
Mission Statement:
To develop and enhance today’s
Wildland firefighters with the
skills, knowledge and abilities
to perform as tomorrow’s
competent and effective
leaders.
Introduction
The National Interagency Wildland
Firefighter Joint Apprenticeship Program
serves as a nationally registered
apprenticeship program, under the
Department of Labor, to enhance and
develop future Wildland fire managers.
1990-Current--The program is administered
by WO, Hosted by FS Pacific SW Region
Under an agreement with the:
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Department of Labor
USDA Forest Service
USDI Bureau of Land Management
USDI National Park Service
USDI Fish & Wildlife Service
National Federation of Federal Employees
The program provides a career
entry firefighter with education, training, and
work experience that will allow an individual to
reach journey level status, fully qualified to
perform the work at or above the level of
Firefighter I
Sponsor Agency-Roles
and Responsibilities
National Interagency Joint
Apprenticeship Committee:
Determines apprenticeship program standards and
guidelines.
 Maintains oversight of and develops the Wildland
Firefighter Apprenticeship Program Operating Plan.
 Develops training guidelines, evaluates curriculum, and
measures effectiveness of the program.
 Acts on behalf of sponsoring agencies to provide
oversight the program.
 Promotes the apprenticeship program.
 When possible, interacts with the apprentices and
academy staff to hear issues and concerns.
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Agency Joint Apprenticeship
Committee
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Identify and resolve agency specific issues as related to
the implementation of the apprenticeship program.
Forwards issues and recommendations of an interagency
nature to the NIJAC for a solution.
Disseminate information/direction from NIJAC through
agency channels.
NATIONAL INTERAGENCY JOINT APPRENTICESHIP
PROGRAM ORGANIZATION CHART
National Training
Centers Director
National Interagency
Joint Apprenticeship
Committee (NIJAC)
Program Manager
FS Nat'l Coord
Operations Specialist
USFS
Joint Apprenticeship
Committee (AJAC)
BLM
Joint Apprenticeship
Committee (AJAC)
NPS & FWS
(2) Joint Apprenticeship
Committee (AJAC)
Agency WFAP
Coordinator
Agency WFAP
Coordinator
(2) Agency WFAP
Coordinator
Regional Coordinator
State Coordinator
(2) Regional Coordinator
Unit Apprenticeship
Manager
Unit Apprenticeship
Manager
Unit Apprenticeship
Manager
First-Line Supervisor
First-Line Supervisor
First-Line Supervisor
Apprentices
Apprentices
Apprentices
Regional/State Apprenticeship
Coordinator Roles and Responsibilities
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The Regional/State Apprenticeship Coordinator provides
oversight to and works directly with the Unit
Apprenticeship Manager on apprenticeship matters.
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Responsible for conveying all information regarding
Regional/State Apprentices and regional issues to the
Agency National Apprenticeship Program Coordinator.
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Maintains knowledge and understanding of employment
processes and student employment authority as it applies
to the apprenticeship program
Regional/State Apprenticeship
Coordinator Roles and Responsibilities…
Works with Program Sponsors to
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Provides advice and counsel to Unit Apprenticeship
Manager and Agency Administrators
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Assist in the development of Regional/State
Apprenticeship processes associated with
onboarding, progression, and completion
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Maintains knowledge and understanding of
mobility and other apprenticeship agreements
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Works directly with the Agency National
Coordinator
Unit Apprenticeship Manager
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Initial point of contact for apprenticeship program
questions from Apprentice Supervisor of Record
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Coordinates progress with Supervisor of Record
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Maintains local records and training hours
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Reviews work process hours for correctness then
forwards to Regional/State Coordinator
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Maintains knowledge and understanding of mobility
and other apprenticeship agreements
Unit Manager Continued…..
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Ensures performance standards and IDPs are
completed
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Serves as a mentor/coach for assigned unit
apprentices
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Liaison between Regional/State Apprenticeship
Coordinator, agency administrator and local fire
staff
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Point of contact between Supervisor of Record and
Regional/State Apprentice Coordinator
Unit Manager Continued…..
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Maintains knowledge and understanding of
employment processes and student employment
authority as it applies to the apprenticeship
program
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Notifies Regional/State Coordinator of reasonable
accommodation needs or change of status of
apprentices
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Annually submits lost time accident report to
Regional/State Coordinator for forwarding to
National Coordinator by January 20th
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Forwards Work processes reports to the
Regional/State Coordinator on a quarterly basis
(Jan 30, March 30, June 30, Sept 30).
Supervisor of Record
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Serves as mentor/coach and first line supervisor of
apprentices
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Documents work process and training hours for
apprentice and forwards the documentation to the Unit
apprenticeship manager
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Coordinates apprentice progress with Unit Manager
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Completes performance standards, evaluations and
Individual Develop Plans (IDP’s)
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Provides tutoring, daily technical supervision and on-thejob training
Supervisor of Record Continued……
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Ensures varied and diverse work process experience
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Maintains knowledge of mobility and other
apprenticeship agreements
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Ensures that the apprentice performs work process
hours under the guidance of a fully qualified journey
person
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Ensured apprentices have all uniform components and
field equipment prior to academy attendance
Apprentice
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Maintain academic/physical fitness standards
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Be prepared to pass all required courses per the
academic standard
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Have fully successful performance while completing all
work process areas
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Adhere to agency ethics and conduct policies &
guidelines
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Sign and abide by the mobility and Department of Labor
Agreements (Agency Specific)
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Notify Unit Manager of any learning or physical
disabilities that may require reasonable accommodation
to successfully complete program goals and objectives
60 days prior to academy attendance
Apprentice Continued……
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Possess & maintain a current State Drivers License, with
appropriate agency required endorsements, at time of
enrollment and throughout the program.
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Maintain an individual record of work experience, onthe-job training, and supplemental technical training
received.
It is the Apprentice’s responsibility to submit monthly
work processes reports to the Unit Apprenticeship
Manager for the previous month, by the 10th of each
month.
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Apprentice Program Outline
Apprentice Wage Schedule
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Apprentice may start at the GS-3, GS-4 or GS 5 level
depending on previous firefighter experience and education.
The Unit Manager/First Line Supervisor must complete a
training plan identifying program objectives that must be
met by the apprentice in order to move to the next wage
level as identified on the DOL Agreement.
The OPM Qualification Standards for Technical and Medical
Support Positions will be used for determining entry grade
and promotions.
Sample Progression if hired at GS-3 level:
GS-3  GS-4 = 6 mo. specialized experience
and satisfactory performance.
Apprentice Wage Schedule
Promotions
(GS3 to GS4):
When all performance requirements are met as identified in
apprentices training plan
 X-118 requirements must be met
 Training plan should allow completion of
requirements/promotion within a 12 month period
 Depending on hiring authority, time in grade may be required
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Apprentice Wage Schedule
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Progression for program entry at the GS-05.
If hired at the GS-05 level, the apprentice may be placed
into a journeyworker level GS-05 position at the
appropriate pay step immediately upon successful
completion of program requirements.
Journeyworker level status - GS-05
(at appropriate step).
Note: Promotion to the GS-05 will be attained after
qualification requirements of the GS-04 (12 Months at the
GS-04 Level) and journeyworker level requirements have
been met.
*Regional direction may apply*
Wage Schedule Cont.
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Probationary Periods are determined by the Office
of Personnel Management for the specific hiring
authority:
 SCEP Apprentices will have a two year trial
period
 Merit Apprentices will have a one year
probationary period
Within Grade Increases:
 Waiting period is the same for SCEP and Merit
Apprentices
 When apprentice has performed at a successful
level
Work Process Hours…
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The Calculating Work Processes for
Previous Credit form will be used to
determine previous experience credit for
each of the categories.
This form will be forwarded to the National
Coordinator along with the DOL
Agreement.
Prior to attending their Basic Academy,
apprentices must complete a total of 500
hours of work processes in work process
category two.
Related Instruction Outline
The Related Instruction Outline constitutes the course work
portion of the apprenticeship program. The Apprentice shall
complete a minimum of 562 hours in Related Instruction.
There are 5 components of Related Instruction:
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Prerequisite Courses for Basic Academy (Orient. + Min 38-47.5
hrs.) See Table 2
Basic Academy Courses (Total of 160 hrs.) See Table 3
Advanced Academy Courses (Total of 158 hrs.) See Table 4
Additional Required Courses (Minimum of 86 hrs.) See Table 5
Elective Courses/Exercises (Minimum of 120 hrs.) See Table 6
Academy Prerequisites
(must be completed prior to attending Basic)
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A total of at least 500 hours of OJL in work process category
#2 – Fire Suppression / Preparedness & Fuels Management.
S-130/190 Basic Firefighter/Intro to Wildland Fire Behavior
I-100 Orientation to ICS
Agency specific New Employee Orientation
Completed Agreements (Training Plan or Mobility agreement
& DOL)
Current work capacity test
Completed Basic Academy Student Information Sheet
Copy of valid State Driver’s License
Formal Academies
Basic Academy Curriculum
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Academy Orientation
S-190 Basic Fire Behavior
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Wildland Fire Skills
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(Exam Only)
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I-200 ICS Single resource/IA
Incidents
Nutrition, Wellness &
Physical Fitness
Basic Fire Prevention
S-260 Incident Business
Management
L-280 Followership to
Leadership
S-131 Advanced Firefighter
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Map Reading and
Compass Use
Communications and
Radio Use
Fire Shelters and
Entrapment Avoidance
Weather Observations
Handtool Use
Tactical Decision
Making - AAR
Advanced Academy Prerequisites
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Completed Basic Academy
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Current Work Capacity Test (within previous 12 months)
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Completed Advanced Academy Student
Information Sheet
Advanced Academy Curriculum
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Academy Orientation
S-234 Ignition Operations
S-270 Basic Air Operations
S-290 Intermediate Fire Behavior
L-380 Fireline Leadership
Fuels Management and Wildland Fire Use
Staff Ride & Fire Fatality Case Studies
Physical Fitness
Career/Personal Development
Academic Standards
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Apprentices are required to pass all academy course
material at the 70% level. All tests are closed book
written tests.
If an apprentice fails an exam (with the exception of S190), they will be allowed to retake only once during the
academy.
Students who are absent for more than 25% of a course or
for the course exam will receive a course incomplete and
will be required to make up the coursework in the formal
academy setting.
The Academy Coordinator will make the determination as
to whether a student will receive a course incomplete.
Reasonable Accommodations
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An individual who is requesting reasonable accommodations
is responsible for providing written notification to their home
unit.
This notification must include a description of the disability,
documentation of the disability, and the requested mitigation
for the disability.
The Academy Coordinator must be notified at least sixty days
prior to the beginning of the Academy in order to determine if
the request can be facilitated.
The home unit Agency Administrator and Academy
Coordinator are responsible for following agency policy in
consulting with the appropriate resources to identify, approve
or disapprove reasonable accommodation.
Physical Fitness Requirements
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Apprentices must pass the Work Capacity Test at the Arduous
level.
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Apprentices are expected to arrive in good physical shape and
able to run 1.5 – 5 miles daily. Apprentices should use the
physical fitness guidelines found in the “Fit to Work”
publication.
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Once at the academy, daily aerobic and physical fitness
training will be part of both residential academies.
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Individuals unable to fully participate in ALL academy
activities should plan on attending a later academy.
Academy Facilities
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Lodging is provided to students for the
duration of their assigned academy. Meals are
provided Monday through Friday.
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Students staying on the weekends are
responsible for their own meals and will be
reimbursed M&IE allowances at the
Sacramento area rate via travel voucher.
Additional Required Courses:
(Provided by home unit)
• S-211 Portable Pumps & Water Use
• S-212 Wildfire Power Saws – level A
• Aviation, choose one of the following:
– S-271 Interagency Helicopter Training
– S-273 Seat Manager
– Completion of Smokejumper Rookie School
Elective Courses
(Minimum of 120 Hours)
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Driver Training
D-110 Dispatch Recorder
Hazardous Materials
Horsemanship Skills
Aircraft Dispatcher
Wildland Fire Detection
P-151 Wildfire Origin and Cause Determination (FI-210 New Course)
S-200 Initial Attack Incident Commander
S-230 Single Resource Boss, Crew
S-231 Single Resource Boss, Engine
S-232 Single Resource Boss, Dozer
S-233 Single Resource Boss, Tractor/Plow
S-244 Field Observer
S-245 Display Processor
S-248 Status/Check-in Recorder
S-336 Fire Suppression Tactics/Tactical Decision Making in Wildland Fire
Engine Operator Training (BLM Specific)
For a complete list refer to Page 29 in the National Standards
Credit for Previously Completed
Courses
• An Apprentice is allowed credit for related
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instruction if they can provide proof that they
have successfully completed the training
course(s) within the previous three years from
apprenticeship start date.
Certificates/182’s/Class Rosters are required for
proof of completion.
Documents must be provided to the National
Coordinator.
Conversion Process
Home units request certification of program
completion through their Regional/State
Coordinator who then forwards the request to
the National Coordinator.
Upon receipt of required documentation and
records, the National Coordinator certifies
program completion to the Department of Labor.
The Department of Labor issues the formal
certificate of program completion for the
apprentice.