Hear from our employees

Joined the Fire Protection Association: 2020

“I joined the FPA in 2020 as a Fire Risk Consultant. I actually came upon fire risk consulting by accident after shadowing colleagues at my previous company. I saw how passionate they were about fire safety and began to take greater interest in their reports and learning more about the relevant standards, before being offered a trainee role.

When I joined the FPA I was still fairly new to the industry. The FPA has been nothing but supportive of my career, helping me with my training and more. It can be a risk to employ someone without much experience, but I started at the bottom and worked my way up through research, learning on the job, shadowing my colleagues and asking for help, and networking. 

A typical day for me includes conducting fire risk assessments, helping our administrative team produce quotations when we receive client requests to review their building floor plans and compartment lines or upcoming refurbishment projects, and responding to technical enquiries from our members. 

With the FPA’s support, I was promoted to Senior Fire Risk Consultant in 2023 and I am proud to now be registered on the Tiered Fire Risk Assessor Register at Tier 3, meaning I am independently accredited to undertake fire risk assessments in higher risk premises such as complex hotels, large industrial sites, healthcare premises, and heritage buildings. 

I am so glad I pursued a career in fire safety. I really enjoy building relationships with my clients so they feel comfortable coming to me for advice and value my opinion, experience, and knowledge. It is truly rewarding knowing that we are working together to make buildings safer and reduce the risk to life.”

Joined the Fire Protection Association: 2023

“I joined the FPA from a career in hospitality, where I had progressed from housekeeping to the position of Duty Manager. After a decade of long hours and with a young family to consider I decided to pursue a new career. Close to home and offering a better work life balance, I accepted a role within the Training administration team at the FPA.

Straight away I was made to feel part of the family and provided with guidance and 1-1 training which allowed me to thrive. From my administration role, I transitioned to the role of an Apprentice Passive Fire Protection Trainer/Assessor and since then, I have completed Level 2 and Level 3 Awards in Passive Fire Protection, a Level 3 Fire Door Inspection qualification, and a Level 3 Assessor qualification, all funded by the FPA. 

As part of my role, I enjoy alternating months between the Training department and our Fire and Risk Services department, which enables me to gain insights through on-the-job experiential learning by observing our surveyors conducting Compartmentation Surveys and Fire Risk Assessments. This immersive experience serves as a foundation in my development journey by equipping me with knowledge, experience, and guidance on a daily basis. 

My career trajectory underscores the FPA’s commitment to fostering talent through apprenticeship schemes and internal transfers. I am looking forward to continuing my professional growth, leveraging every opportunity to contribute meaningfully to fire safety initiatives while advancing my career within the organisation.”

Joined the Fire Protection Association: 2018

“I graduated from the University of Coventry with a Bachelor’s Degree in Sport Management, before working in the sports industry as part of media and marketing teams for various football clubs. I then decided I wanted to expand my skills as a digital marketeer and joined the FPA in 2018 as a Digital Marketing Executive.

On joining the FPA, a progression plan was created specifically for me in line with my career aspirations, and I completed training courses in graphic design, paid advertising, social media, and management training. I then competed a year-long Level 4 Certificate in Professional Digital Marketing with the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) which complemented my degree and was fully funded by the FPA.

I have been trusted to put these skills into practice by leading on various projects such as developing and implementing new websites, launching a CRM system, and creating the digital marketing strategy. With the company having grown significantly since I joined, I soon needed additional resource which gave me the opportunity to progress to line management, and the role of Digital Marketing Manager in 2021. 

In 2022 I was asked to develop a strategy to grow the FPA’s membership scheme which means that the Membership department now sits within the digital marketing team, so I have been able to further expand my skills and experience. 
Beyond the personal development and career prospects, for me the best thing about working at the FPA is the fantastic team of people and the support we receive. I couldn’t have anticipated working in the fire safety industry when I first began my career, but it has honestly been so rewarding and I still have so much I want to achieve here.”
 

Joined the Fire Protection Association: 2023

“I started my career in Aviation, working for a Civil Aviation Academy in a student services administration role. Following this I spread my wings and worked as Cabin Crew for EasyJet based in Germany and then back in the UK with British Airways, travelling the world on short and long-haul flights.  

Wanting to come back down to earth and go back to the family life of home and work, I looked at the Fire Protection Association, with it being so close to home I wouldn’t have to commute which I had done for so many years. During my interview the main attraction was the family feel and the FPA’s company values. I joined the FPA in the summer of 2023, as an Administrator in the Fire and Risk Services team. 

I was instantly welcomed into the FPA family and gained valued experience within my role. After working with the FR&S team for several months, I wanted to expand my skills and career and knew I could do this with the FPA’s support. I internally applied for the vacancy of HR Administrator where I expressed my eagerness for training and mentoring to be able to thrive in this position.     

Fast forward a couple of months and I am now the HR Administrator and looking forward to future endeavours. For me the best thing about working for the FPA family is the continued support, whether it be through internal vacancy opportunities or gaining valued experience through development and training, employee support programmes, socials, fundraising, and so much more. (Oh, and the number of loud aircraft that fly over!)“