41 New firefighters graduate from NIFRS’ new £50m training college

Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service celebrated its first graduation ceremony at its new Learning & Development College (LDC), Cookstown. Pictured L-R Wholetime (Full-Time) Firefighters Donal McAllister from Ballycastle, David Gilkinson from Ballymoney and Stephen Jefferson from Coleraine graduated from NIFRS.

Thursday 19 June marked a significant moment in the history of the Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service (NIFRS) as 41 new Wholetime Firefighters graduated from its newly opened £50 million Learning & Development College.

The occasion was especially momentous as this cohort were the first to complete the entirety of their 19-week intensive training at the state-of-the-art training facility, which was officially launched in May.

Among the proud graduates were Firefighters Donal McAllister from Ballycastle, David Gilkinson from Ballymoney, and Stephen Jefferson from Coleraine. The group comprised 10 female and 31 male Firefighters, representing the ongoing diversification of the Fire & Rescue workforce in Northern Ireland.

The graduation ceremony was held at the new college, which is designed to provide best-in-class training for the next generation of Firefighters. The facility delivers high-intensity, scenario-based training that reflects the wide range of challenges faced by modern emergency responders.

Speaking at the ceremony, NIFRS Chief Fire & Rescue Officer, Aidan Jennings, praised the commitment and achievements of the trainees:

“This is a hugely important day for our 41 trainees as they graduate as Wholetime Firefighters. This cohort of Firefighters made history for NIFRS as being the first Firefighters to complete all of their intensive training at our new college. Our graduates should be extremely proud of themselves.

“Our new college brings a new level of intensity to our training, and these graduates performed exceptionally well throughout the duration of the trainee Firefighting course.

“I would also like to recognise the dedication and commitment of our instructors, who were also new to the site and who were able to deliver this course to our new trainees.

“Our graduates are now ready to take their places as Wholetime Firefighters across Northern Ireland. They have chosen to become Firefighters because they believe in serving our community and working with others to make Northern Ireland a safer place. I wish them every success in what is a rewarding, interesting and meaningful career.”

Chairperson of the NIFRS Board, Jay Colville, also addressed the graduates, highlighting the wider significance of the day:

“On behalf of the NIFRS Board, I extend my congratulations to each of our trainees graduating today. We are committed to recruiting the best people to protect our community, and I am confident that our trainees today are equipped and ready to respond and serve the people of Northern Ireland.

“Today marks a huge milestone for NIFRS and for the graduates here today. This is the first Wholetime graduation that we have held at our new £50m college, and I look forward to future generations of Firefighters completing their training here.

“As a service, we remain dedicated to investing in our personnel and ensuring the safety of everyone in Northern Ireland. I wish all of today’s 41 graduates success and happiness in their careers in NIFRS.”

The newly graduated Firefighters will now be deployed to Fire Stations across Northern Ireland, bringing with them fresh enthusiasm, vital skills, and a deep sense of public service.

This landmark graduation not only celebrates the individual achievements of the 41 Firefighters, but also underscores NIFRS’s commitment to developing a highly skilled and diverse workforce prepared to meet the evolving demands of emergency response across the region.