Pre-Service Firefighter Education and Training

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Applying as a Canadian applicant

Domestic students should apply online or by phone at 1-888-892-2228. For more information, visit Applying to Conestoga.

apply now: Canadian applicants

Applying as an International applicant

International students should apply online. Note: not all programs are open to international students.

apply now: international applicants

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Admissions - September 2022

Admission requirements

Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD), or equivalent, or 19 years of age or older with mature student status (See Mature Student definition for details.)
Grade 12 compulsory English, C or U, or equivalent, OR Conestoga College Preparatory Communications (COMM1250), or equivalent
Grade 11 or 12 Math, C or U, OR Conestoga College Preparatory Mathematics for Applied Arts and Community Services (MATH1215)
One Science: Grade 11 or 12 Physics, Chemistry, Biology or Exercise Science, C or U, or Grade 11 or 12 Science (SNC3M) or (SNC4M) or equivalent, OR Conestoga College Preparatory Chemistry (SCIE1030) or Biology (SCIE1010)
For more information on preparatory programs, visit Academic Upgrading

Note re: admission requirements

Applicants with degrees completed in countries in which English is not an official language will be required to provide test scores as evidence of their English language proficiency. Test scores, if required, would be a minimum of iBT TOEFL Reading 24, Listening 24, Speaking 27, Writing 27; IELTS Academic Listening: 7, Reading: 7, Writing: 7, Speaking: 7; or equivalent scores in other recognized standard tests of English.

Canadian admissions contact

admissions@conestogac.on.ca

International admissions contact

internationaladmissions@conestogac.on.ca

Admission procedures

An academic strength is calculated by averaging the submitted marks of required subjects. If more than one mark is received for a required subject, the highest mark will be used in the calculation.
Ten (10) additional marks are added to each Advanced level, OAC, U, U/C, and post-secondary course used in the calculation of academic strength.

Program requirements

Mandatory work-integrated learning (WIL) health and safety requirements must be completed by students upon entry to the program. Successful completion of all courses is required for students to progress to program completion. Students must present the following at the start of the program in accordance with pre-admission information provided by the College:
- Standard First Aid and CPR - BLS level

A Police Check for Vulnerable Sector Screening (VSS). Police Checks must be clear of any unpardoned criminal offences. An unclear criminal record may result in the inability to participate in WIL site visits which could jeopardize progress in the program. Acceptance for visits is at the discretion of the agency (e.g. fire services); some organizations may request students to provide a VSS completed within six months of the date of the visit. An unclear criminal record may result in the inability of the student to be competitive for careers with fire services. Students with criminal records are advised to meet with the program chair for academic counselling to determine program suitability.

In view of strenuous physical demands of the firefighter, it is strongly recommended that applicants acquire and maintain an advanced level of physical fitness including cardiovascular and upper body strength prior to the start of the program.
Students are strongly advised to have visual acuity, colour vision and hearing assessed, and to ensure they are free of acrophobia and claustrophobia. A deficit in any of these areas may prevent securing employment in the fire service.
Students are required to adhere to the code of conduct as found in the Pre-Service Firefighter Program Handbook. This includes the need to exhibit professionalism, integrity, reliability, punctuality, maturity and strong interpersonal and communication skills.
Students are advised that all competencies specified for this program must be met; therefore, attendance in classes, labs and off-campus learning experiences is essential.
This program involves an additional supply cost of approximately $900 for the program uniform and related items.

Pre-Workplace-Integrated Learning (WIL) FAQ

You are taking the first steps to becoming a professional through your program at Conestoga College.

Realizing your vision of having a high performing career in your field of choice requires that you start your program having met the same safety and health (if applicable) requirements that are mandatory for new employees in your field. The WIL document requirements that are mandatory for your program can be found under the WIL Document Forms tab within the myConestoga WIL Document Services community.

As a future professional in your chosen career, you may need to be able to demonstrate that:

You have a clear police check for vulnerable persons. This is the first implication for you of provincial regulations governing work in health care and community service organizations.
Your immunizations are current for your safety and the safety of people in your care.
Your TB status is known and allows you to work safely with others and that you will have baseline information for yourself should you encounter a person with TB in the workplace.
You have a current First Aid and CPR certificate (at the level appropriate to your career), so that you can be a resource to persons in need.
You have been respirator fit tested so that you will be ready to work safely in the event of an infectious situation.

Your program includes a WIL experience in your course of studies; employers request that you have met the above requirements before you come to their organization. You will be emailed a WIL document package to your college email and home email (if available).

Most importantly, your plan to be a graduate and embark on your chosen career depends on completing this WIL experience - we do not want these plans to end because you failed to meet the above requirements.

The Health Passport is proof to the college and WIL employers that you have met the pre-WIL health and safety requirements.
This document ensures that you have met the safety and health requirements expected of individuals providing care or service in each organization.
You may be asked to show your Health Passport to a WIL site as proof of having met their requirements.

If you cannot complete the WIL course(s) of your program, you will not be able to graduate from the program.

Each program has a specific due date to allow for processing prior to the WIL experience; your requirements due date is indicated in your emailed package and on the forms applicable to the program.
You must start completing your program specific WIL document requirements as soon as you receive your package as it may take you six to twelve weeks to complete.

Refer to the requirements package that was emailed to you.
Make arrangements to complete requirements based on Forms A, B, C, D, E (with your doctor, health care professional or other service providers).
Note: Not all programs require all forms to be completed. See your Welcome Letter/checklist for your program requirements.
Keep all original supporting documentation for your records.
As you complete a form requirement, submit all documentation online only, through the myConestoga document submission tool. Note: We strongly encourage you to submit forms as they are completed, rather than as one completed package, to allow ample time for review and followup as needed.

Visit your local police service and request a Vulnerable Sector Police Record Check prior to the pre-WIL document requirements deadline for your program. There is a cost associated with this service and that is the responsibility of the student. Note: This request may take up to 12 weeks.
If you live in an area that is serviced by the OPP, please contact WIL Document Services for the required form (WILdocumentservices@conestogac.on.ca or 519-748-5220, ext. 3101).
For Niagara Police Services, please contact WIL Document Services for the required form (WILdocumentservices@conestogac.on.ca or 519-748-5220, ext. 3101).
For Toronto Police Services, you will require the Toronto Consent to Disclosure form; please contact WIL Document Services for the required form (WILdocumentservices@conestogac.on.ca or 519-748-5220, ext. 3101).
To be eligible for WIL experience(s), you must not have been convicted of any criminal offence for which you have not been pardoned. If your police check is not clear due to an offence that is criminal in nature, you are advised to meet with the Program Chair for academic counselling to determine program suitability and WIL eligibility. Offences under the Criminal Code and the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act of Canada:
- laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/C-46/
- laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/C-38.8/

Depending on your specific program health requirements, you may be asked for proof of immunization, laboratory blood test results and non-medical requirements below: (if applicable)

Measles/mumps/rubella (MMR)
Varicella/chickenpox
Hepatitis B
Tetanus/diphtheria/pertussis (Tdap)
Polio
Tuberculin testing (TB)
Influenza vaccine
Mask fit testing
Please bring your Immunization form (Form B) with you when you get your vaccinations so that your physician/health care professional can sign off on the form directly.

Your program may also have a requirement for a current certification in CPR/First Aid.

Standard First Aid
CPR level C or HCP or BLS or ACLS (depending on program of study)

Provincially, with the concerns of a potential pandemic, the workforce in health care organizations or persons who are providing care are required to complete respirator fit testing. It is recommended that you complete testing at the college, as we ensure to fit test you based on the mask(s) applicable to your WIL site/facility. Additional information about this requirement will be provided at your program orientation.

If laboratory reports are required or if immunizations are not complete, it could take six to twelve weeks.
Note: The RCMP has also set new mandates that can possibly prolong your wait time in receiving your criminal reference check. If your date of birth and gender match another individual in the Sex Offender database, your fingerprints will be required to complete your check. If flagged it will take up to 120 days to receive your Vulnerable Sector check. There will also be an extra cost charged by the police agency to obtain fingerprints.

This may be done at Conestoga, at your doctor’s office, at a local urgent care or walk-in clinic or through your local public health unit. Please note: The TB test cannot be done for 30 days after a measles/mumps/rubella (MMR) or varicella (chickenpox) shot.
Please bring your Immunization form (Form C) with you when you get your TB test so that your health care professional can sign off on the form directly.
For TB skin testing at Conestoga, please search in the WIL Document Services Community on myConestoga for dates and times. Students can register through the Student Portal or at the registrar's office with course code HEAL0080.

You may take the required courses through Conestoga. Information and schedules are also available in the CPR/First Aid folder under the WIL Document Forms tab on myConestoga.
Conestoga offers a discounted student rate for Standard First Aid and CPR through Red Cross. To receive the discounted student rate you must complete the part-time registration form for course HEAL1400, HEAL1410 or HEAL1420 and mail to the registrar’s office or register in person at the registrar’s office. The discounted student rate will NOT be applied if you register online. Contact ce-hlscs@conestogac.on.ca for more information.
If you take the First Aid course(s) from another provider, please ensure that it is the appropriate level course (minimum Standard First Aid) and was completed no earlier than four months prior to the start of your program.
After you complete the requirement, submit the documentation online only, through the myConestoga document submission tool.

Once your program coordinator or placement officer has advised you of your WIL site, you will need to arrange to be fit tested. Please refer to the respirator fit testing information in the Respirator Fit Testing tab on myConestoga for additional information, or contact respiratorfit@conestogac.on.ca.

Conestoga College's WIL nurse technologist reviews your confidential medical and non-medical information and notifies your program coordinator or placement officer of your clearance status. The WIL nurse technologist can answer any questions you may have about the health requirements and testing, as well as provide direction when medical requirements results are unclear. WIL Document Services will only release a clear or not clear status to Conestoga. The college requires your status for WIL planning purposes. All other information is kept confidential.

Submit all documentation online only, through the myConestoga document submission tool. Students should submit each requirement as they are completed. Do not wait for all your requirements to be completed.
The online submission option can be found in myConestoga / WIL Document Services / select the drop down box and scroll to 'Document Submission'. You will be in the H.S. Trax Document Submission page. Directions will be emailed out with your student WIL documents forms.
Each requirement form will have a category to upload documents.

The cost of completing the requirements is the responsibility of the student entering the program.

Costs will be dependent upon each student's needs. Doctor notes, x-rays, laboratory blood work report and immunization may be free of charge or a charge applied by your doctor's office; this is up to your doctor and NOT the college.
Your invoice from Conestoga will contain a fee for the services provided by the school to certify that you have met these requirements and to provide you with a Health Passport for your records.

If some information is missing from your forms, you will be notified at your college email account. You must complete the missing information and resubmit documents prior to your WIL experience.

Your program coordinator or placement officer will be notified as to your cleared status and will notify and assign students to their WIL experience. Students will not be eligible for WIL experience until you have a clear status.

The WIL document requirements for your program are accessible through the WIL Document Forms tab within the myConestoga WIL Document Services community. Please contact the WIL Document Services office at WILdocumentservices@conestogac.on.ca or 519-748-5220, ext. 3101 for more information.

Pathways and credit transfer

Conestoga pathways enable students to build on their academic achievements in order to earn a degree or additional credential. Pathways are formed through agreements between Conestoga programs or partner institutions. View transfer agreement opportunities for this program.

Often applicants have earned credits from another college or university that may allow a student to be granted advanced standing or exemption. Learn more about credit transfer opportunities at Conestoga.

Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR)

Conestoga recognizes prior learning of skills, knowledge or competencies that have been acquired through employment, formal and informal education, non-formal learning or other life experiences. Prior learning must be measurable at the required academic level and meet Conestoga standards of achievement. Challenge exams and portfolio development are the primary methods of assessment. Other methods of assessment may be available depending upon the nature of the course objectives. PLAR cannot be used by registered Conestoga students for the clearance of academic deficiencies, to improve grades or to obtain admission into a program.

Learn more about PLAR.

Disclaimer

The College reserves the right to alter information including requirements and fees and to cancel at any time a program, course, or program major or option; to change the location and/or term in which a program or course is offered; to change the program curriculum as necessary to meet current competencies in the job market or for budgetary reasons; or to withdraw an offer of admission both prior to and after its acceptance by an applicant or student because of insufficient applications or registrations, over-acceptance of offers of admission, budgetary constraints, or for other such reasons. In the event the College exercises such a right, the College’s sole liability will be the return of monies paid by the applicant or student to the College. Students actively registered in cohort delivered programs who take longer than the designed program length of time to complete their studies are accountable for completing any new or additional courses that may result due to changes in the program of study. Unless otherwise stated, students registered in non-cohort delivered programs must complete the program of study within seven years of being admitted to the program.