Uniformed Public Services (Fire Brigade and Policing) Level 3


Do you want to work as a Fire Fighter or in the Police?

Our Level 3 Uniform Public services course is perfect for you. It’s been designed to give you the skills, knowledge, and behaviours to pursue your career in the fire service or police.

In your first year, you’ll study the following units:

  • Develop leadership skills  
  • Prepare for a career in the Fire Service/Police  
  • Develop aspects of physical fitness for entry to the Fire Service/Police
  • Volunteering
  • Emergency planning and response
  • Equality, diversity and inclusion    
  • Mental and Physical Wellbeing
  • The influence of UK government, international organisations and the media on the Fire Service/Police
  • Collaboration between uniformed services

In your second year you’ll focus on:

  • Uniformed services hierarchy and routine  
  • Understand conflict management and personal protection   
  • Values and standards   
  • Understand the impact of war and conflict  
  • UK legal systems 
  • Carry out map reading and navigation across open country   
  • Security procedures  
  • Skills for land-based outdoor and adventurous activities
  • ICT in the Fire Service/Police

You will also have the opportunity to undertake some exciting trips and visits including a land navigated walk, indoor rock climbing, archery, orienteering and a survival expedition.

Required Entry Qualifications

Five GCSEs at grade 4 or above, including English Language and preferably maths.

On this course there are no exams, all of the units are coursework based and internally assessed by the college. You’ll be assessed through either written work or practical application.

You will have the opportunity to achieve a Pass, Merit or Distinction grade for each unit.

At the end of the year you will be awarded an overall grade based on the number of each grade you have achieved.

We use the virtual learning environment Google Classroom to ensure you have complete access to all resources and assignment information to support you throughout your studies.

You will receive training on this in your induction week.

One of the biggest strengths of the UPS course is the wide range of specialist staff covering each of the units.

However, we also work with the fire service and police to ensure our teaching is relevant and invite guest speakers in where appropriate to cover specific areas.

“After listening to the guest speaker from the Fire Brigade I am more motivated to work hard in my studies and work towards my career goal of becoming a Fire Fighter”

Everyone will undertake a 30-hour work placement or work readiness activities as part of our employment edge promise.

Although a placement with the Fire Brigade is limited we seek to get work experience that will help you develop the skills required for the service, such as working as part of team, following instructions, communication skills and physically demanding.

Our students have enjoyed a week at Catterick Army base where these skills were developed.

We also have links with Veterans at Ease Charity, who can provide opportunities to work with communities, to build compassion for diversity.

You’ll study at our Academy for Sport, where our facilities are among the best in the country and include:

  • Classrooms equipped with integrated IT
  • Sports science and sports therapy facilities
  • Performance lab
  • 3G and 4G pitches
  • Indoor athletics track
  • Sports hall
  • Strength and conditioning gym
  • Massage suite
  • Aerobics suite
  • Gym
  • Boxing Studio

We will endeavor to prepare you in the best way we can in order to pass the tests below.

To apply for the Fire Service, you need to:

  • Aged 18 years old 
  • Pass a DBS
  • Confidently swim 25m (desirable) 
  • Run 1.5 miles continuously in 12 minutes or less/ Bleep Test Level 8.8
  • Shoulder press 25kg once in overhead, upright seated position
  • Behaviour Style Questionnaire
  • Situational Judgement Test 
  • Numerical Test 
  • Verbal Reasoning Test 
  • Mechanical Test 
  • Role Related Tests- Ladder Climb, Ladder Lift, Casualty Evacuation, Equipment Carry, Equipment Assembly, Enclosed Space 
  • Interview

Whatever support you need, we’re here for you and will make sure you get the most out of your time at college.

We have expert teams in place to look after every single one of our students.

Our specialist teams can help with:

  • Learning difficulties
  • Physical and sensory disabilities
  • Dyslexia, dyspraxia, neurodiversity or other specific learning difficulties
  • Mental health and well being
  • Exam access arrangements
  • Money, finance and bursary advice
  • Careers advice, job and university applications

See here for more information, pop into one of our enrolment events, call us on 0191 490 4627.

WHAT CAN I DO WITH A QUALIFICATION IN UNIFORMED PUBLIC SERVICES (FIRE BRIGADE AND POLICING) LEVEL 3?

  • Senior Officers in Fire, Ambulance, Prison and Related Services
  • Senior Police Officers
  • Fire Service Officers (Watch Manager and Below)
  • Police Officers (Sergeant and Below)
  • Probation Officers
  • Police Community Support Officers

Knowledge

Customer and Personal Service: Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Education and Training: Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

Public Safety and Security: Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

Mechanical: Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

Psychology: Knowledge of human behaviour and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioural and affective disorders.

Median Salary
£53,752

Average Qualifications
Level 3 NVQ; A Levels

Find Out More

Knowledge

Public Safety and Security: Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

Customer and Personal Service: Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Law and Government: Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.

Psychology: Knowledge of human behaviour and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioural and affective disorders.

Education and Training: Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

Median Salary
£62,656

Average Qualifications
Level 3 NVQ; A Levels

Find Out More

Knowledge

Customer and Personal Service: Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Public Safety and Security: Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

Physics: Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub- atomic structures and processes.

Mechanical: Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

Psychology: Knowledge of human behaviour and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioural and affective disorders.

Median Salary
£44,351

Average Qualifications
Level 2 NVQ; GCSE at grades A*-C

Find Out More

Knowledge

Customer and Personal Service: Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Public Safety and Security: Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

Psychology: Knowledge of human behaviour and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioural and affective disorders.

Law and Government: Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.

English Language: Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

Median Salary
£48,045

Average Qualifications
Level 3 NVQ; A Levels

Find Out More

Knowledge

Therapy and Counselling: Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counselling and guidance.

Psychology: Knowledge of human behaviour and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioural and affective disorders.

Public Safety and Security: Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

Customer and Personal Service: Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Sociology and Anthropology: Knowledge of group behaviour and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.

Median Salary
£43,155

Average Qualifications
Level 4 NVQ; Intermediate, DipHE, DipFE

Find Out More

Knowledge

Customer and Personal Service: Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Public Safety and Security: Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

Psychology: Knowledge of human behaviour and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioural and affective disorders.

Law and Government: Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.

English Language: Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

Median Salary
£28,653

Average Qualifications
Level 3 NVQ; A Levels

Find Out More

Pathways

Health, Social and Child Care Services
People in these occupations provide care and support services for children, healthcare patients, and the elderly, and administrate social programmes.
Medicine, Dentistry and Nursing
People in these occupations diagnose, assess, and treat health problems, operate medical technology, and care for patients.

Pathways

Health, Social and Child Care Services
People in these occupations provide care and support services for children, healthcare patients, and the elderly, and administrate social programmes.
Medicine, Dentistry and Nursing
People in these occupations diagnose, assess, and treat health problems, operate medical technology, and care for patients.

Skills

Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Writing
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Learning Strategies
Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Active Learning
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Mathematics
Using mathematics to solve problems.
Science
Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.

Skills

Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Writing
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Learning Strategies
Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Active Learning
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Mathematics
Using mathematics to solve problems.
Science
Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.

Skills

Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Learning Strategies
Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Active Learning
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Writing
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Mathematics
Using mathematics to solve problems.
Science
Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.

Skills

Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Active Learning
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Writing
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Learning Strategies
Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Mathematics
Using mathematics to solve problems.
Science
Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.

Skills

Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Learning Strategies
Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Writing
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Active Learning
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Mathematics
Using mathematics to solve problems.
Science
Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.

Skills

Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Active Learning
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Writing
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Learning Strategies
Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Mathematics
Using mathematics to solve problems.
Science
Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
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