19: Country Fire Authority Employee Reviews

A typical day can very from day to day. As an emergency response organization you are expected to be response ready at all times. Training is also a big part of the job.

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Talented staff hampered by lack of leadership, funding and resistance to change

Project Manager (Current Employee) - Burwood VIC - 8 November 2023

The people I have worked with are highly educated and passionate about their work and struggle to accomplish valuable work within an organisation where change is glacial, decision makers are non-existent, strategic thinking is scarce and funding is a constant issue.

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Jobs at Country Fire Authority

Brigade Admin Support Officer

Wangaratta VIC

1 day ago

Volunteer Program Manager

Burwood East VIC

4 days ago

Fire Spotter (See Advertisement)

Hamilton VIC

12 days ago

Brigade Admin Support Officer (See Advertisement)

Wangaratta VIC

1 day ago

Confusing management arrangements with no promotion opportunity

Service Delivery Coordinator (Current Employee) - Geelong VIC - 25 November 2022

Following fire service reform the culture of CFA has bottomed out. Pay increases against CPI are terrible and CFA is the worst paid emergency service in Victoria. Can't get promotion opportunities as HQ are biased towards external applicants and all field leadership roles are filled by an alternative organisation. This means that CFA employees have to cover for management that have no experienced or even knowledge of the job they are given. Not intended as a slight off the individuals just the notion that there is any benefit of importing regional leadership

Pros

Supporting the community

Cons

No training, no develop, no career progression

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Don't bother if your looking for permanent work unless your applying for a specialist skills position.

Admin (Former Employee) - Victoria - 11 January 2022

Initial training & inductions was down right pathetic, think I'd been there 1 month & received an induction email. Considering the job is for CFA I even asked what the evacuation process was, my coordinator didn't know. Lucky I have vast experience in similar sectors. I very much felt like I was learning on my feet & only learning from historical records. Someone young that did not have experience with similar systems would just get spat out, train someone properly & your setting them up to be a valuable long term employee something which the department I was in has no interest in.You won't get honest information about future work, especially if your not in the 'click'. As an employee it's difficult to commit when you don't get a commitment back, take from this, if your employed on contract don't quit looking for other work especially if your like most other people & actually need a job to make ends meet. Considering I passed all my reviews with flying colors & did not receive even one recommendation for improvement or even constructive criticism I will assume I was doing a good job. Friends will get friends into jobs which is definitely reflected on performance that I witnessed in some areas.Was disappointing to watch the waste of tax payers money in areas and also with 'flexible working arrangements', by all means, work from home but when I teams you as my manager I don't want to see you out for lunch or shopping, that's not doing your work your payed for. Yes you are entitle to breaks but I expect to find you actually at your computer some of the time.Full of people -

Pros

There were a few people that I did learn a few things form, hopefully I'll be able to put that to good use for an employer that values respect & hard work.

Cons

End of the days. High turnover of staff, on going personal issues, infighting. Watching line manager behave like a child much of the time. Continual contracts, disappointing when the manager kept stating there was ongoing work. BE HONEST TO STAFF, they have bills to pay too. No consideration for 'humans' at all, it's all about positions & position numbers. Payroll, don't expect to get paid for weeks when you first start, they don't care if you have bills to pay & you have been employed for 6 weeks yet haven't seen cent.

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Change and Challenges

Projects Manager (Former Employee) - Melbourne VIC - 12 March 2020

proper background/ experience/ academic achievement with the defined mindset/ skill set are essential to succeed the projects objectives Ensure adaptive planning/ organizing/ coordinating/ commanding/ controls are in place to align between programs & methology

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Job service section

Coordinator Training & Development (Former Employee) - Ararat VIC - 13 January 2020

I work at the CFA for 11 years. Love the job, loved the volunteers. The staff I worked with were AWESOME. My remote boss was a male chauvinist. He was asked to leave a number of years before I left. My next boss was okay but still had his own agenda. I would still work there now if I still lived in Victoria.

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Volunteer Service with an amazing culture

FIREFIGHTER (Former Employee) - St Arnaud, Vic, Aus - 15 January 2019

Really friendly station, great people and the equipment is of a high standard. The training there was great, they really look after you and make sure that your safety is number 1.

Pros

Amazing supporting teams

Cons

Could be called in anytime.

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It's good to do things in a group

Volunteer (Current Employee) - Glenburn VIC - 3 December 2018

The CFA is a great organisation, you get to have a lot of fun, work in a team, meet lots of lovely people, get involved with the community, and really be happy to be involved.

Pros

barbeques

Cons

meetings that go too long

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Great team

Payroll Coordinator, Payroll Officer (Former Employee) - Melbourne VIC - 27 November 2018

I worked with a very supportive and collaborative team in Payroll. A group of very hard workers and I looked forward to going to work everyday. High turnover of staff within the business which can be difficult to handle/resolve queries right through. Communication between departments can be improved to ensure any business changes are relayed to relevant teams.

Pros

Training, team work, collaborative with other departments

Cons

Sense of entitlement within business, business is traditional and slow to make change

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good community based organisation in emergency services field

Program Manager, Knowledge (CFA) (Former Employee) - Burwood East - 14 October 2018

CFA is a long established community based organisation in the emergency services field. It has a long history of community and volunteer engagement. The organisation has a recent commitment to using evidence based decision making and using knowledge to enhance decision making, improve performance and achieve community outcomes. The organisation has a strong operational focus and committed staff and volunteers. The most enjoyable part of the role was working with people on new initiatives and helping CFA develop its knowledge management approach

Pros

committed organisation and helpful staff and volunteers

Cons

industrial difficulties and cultural issues

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Great people to work with

Brigade Administrative (Former Employee) - Mleton - 4 April 2018

Great people to work with, lots of learning and advancement opportunities. Many different departments to move throughout during your work career with the Country Fire Authority.

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Pulls together during incidents

Non Operational (Current Employee) - Burwood East VIC - 1 January 2017

The most enjoyable part of the job is during incident response when everyone comes together to get the job done, and look after the community.

Pros

Mostly flexible environment

Cons

Little job advancement opportunity

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A worthwhile way to keep our communities safer.

Firefighter - Crew Leader (Current Employee) - Stanley, VIC - 21 October 2015

I recommend becoming a volunteer member of CFA. You contribute to keeping your communities safer, learn new skills, have the opportunity for continual professional development and camaraderie.

Pros

Learn new skills, have the opportunity for continual professional development and camaraderie

Cons

Disruption to family life through call outs and time taken on professional development.

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Team I work with are fantastic and job security isn't

Computer Aid Dispatch (CAD) Support Officer (Current Employee) - Burwood East - 22 August 2014

Team I work with are fantastic and really focused in constant improvement, however, job security is an issue. With large budget cuts most contracted jobs are going.

Pros

Team I work with

Cons

No job security

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Excellent company to work for.

PC Support Analyst, Contractor (Former Employee) - Burwood East - 3 July 2014

Great team. Excellent support from management. Culture of help and assistance abounds within the IT department. Management give their staff full support

Pros

Management support their employees

Cons

Can't think if any

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Excellent organisation to work for with dedicated staff and volunteers

Return To Work Coordinator (Current Employee) - Melbourne - 17 June 2014

Experience in a range of compensation claims, on-going training provided. Good work culture, and an organisation that values the work/life balance.

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CFA company review

Service Delivery Mgr, ICT (Emergency Radio Comms) (Current Employee) - VIC - 21 April 2014

Overall a good place to work in, although for fixed term contracts, there is not much ensuing job continuity. The greater organisation is constantly seeking to improve, to serve the public better. New leadership in ICT management is dynamic and has worthy visions. I have learnt about the intricacies of dealing with unions and change implementation challenges in a huge volunteer based organisation. Co-workers and team are hand picked from various commercial organisations and teamwork is good, guided by first class immediate leadership. The most enjoyable part of the job is seeing the project director support and steer the team through thick and thin and being empowered to apply my unique professional value add, to deliver unprecedented service assurance capabilities, without micro management. I have thoroughly enjoyed contributing to the Victorian emergency services communications sector by making it leaner and more resilient.

Pros

Flexible time management, good immediate leadership

Cons

No HR perks or recognition of work / awards for significant contribution

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A very good workplace

Administrative Support Officer (Former Employee) - Burwood - 7 February 2014

i learnt how an office operates including filing requirements, answering phone calls, dealing with issues to do with day to day activities of the CFA

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Great experiece and a wonderful staff to learn from

Trainee Admin Support Officer (Former Employee) - Swan Hill - 24 July 2012

Very experienced co workers to help and support me through my Certificate III Traineeship.Many valuable life lessons learned.Constantly working on team building and and promoting teamwork.

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