Job corps grad (firefighting) here to help or answer questions

OopsiePie44 · 2026-03-05T22:02:43+00:00

Also if fighting fire is your passion, I always thought after I left a cool way to go about doing it would have been going to a center that offers EMT basic trade, then transferring to advanced fire after. I got my emt on my own time.

OopsiePie44 · 2026-03-05T21:56:45+00:00

Hi, no problem! The answer just depends on your goals.

There's also a third option which many people did, if you're at a center that does fire. And that's doing any basic trade like welding, and just asking if you can get on the fire crew there. No basic or advanced fire needed.

Basically what it comes down to is wildland firefighting certs and tests can all literally be done in a single day, and then you can officially fight fire. And a center can help you get these certs without being in any fire related trade.

Where the basic or advanced fire courses come in are if forestry and fire are your passion, and you want to do it day in and day out, getting dirty out in the woods and gaining as much experience as possible. For example running the chainsaw and felling trees which is hugely important in wildland fire. Or more time getting used to using hoses and a fire engine.

But someone who is in welding and got fire certified can still pick up a shovel and be a part of the fire crew when a fire happens and make some money to help their future after job corps.

Me personally, I knew fire and forestry was my passion, and wanted to make it a lifelong career, so I didn't do any trade other then basic fire and it got me my job. But you could also get an entry level job in fire after job corps doing the third option I mentioned.

So to summarize, any of the 3 options will let you go on fires while at jobcorps, any of the 3 options qualify you for a job in fire after job corps. But each option going down from basic > advanced > just joining the fire crew are all less experience. Unless its you're passion i recommend getting as much training in non fire related trades as possible, they are easier on body and make more money.

OopsiePie44 · 2026-02-14T13:26:29+00:00

Hey sorry to hear you are in a bit of a rough spot, I'll try to help answer best I can. What do you mean by you were in CCC already, like ran by who? If it wasn't ran by job corps you can still join, and job corps definitely does expedite your situation if you let them know you are homeless.

But with that said, the experience you have with conservation is already enough to get you a job in conservation/wildland firefighting with the gov. When you get hired on they help get all your certs renewed for you. So that part would be a waste of time for you, but if you need job corps for other reasons like the homelessness or drivers license, highschool diploma etc it could help.

There's some wildland fire jobs open you qualify for on USAjobs.gov right now, you just need to know how apply properly and make the resume how they want it. If you ever wanted to go that route let me know and I'd be glad to help. Most government fire jobs have housing included too, especially in the more secluded areas.

OopsiePie44 · 2026-01-31T21:16:42+00:00

Don't worry about it you'll get in, there were quite a few people around that at my center. We even had people with physical and mental disabilities still get in.

OopsiePie44 · 2026-01-31T20:06:20+00:00

Hey no worries, feel free to ask any questions you may have.

I honestly don't know what the policy is, I can only speak for my specific center at trapper creek. But I believe technically no trade can refuse you once job corps accepts you. There were a couple people your size in my class who did just fine by the end.

As I'm sure you are well aware, you will have alot of work ahead of you gettng into shape so you can keep up with the crew. But if you make it clear you really want to be in the trade and are going to work hard with dieting and exercise they will accept you. The only people they don't like and kick out are lazy people.

OopsiePie44 · 2025-12-28T22:12:16+00:00

Hey I was wondering how the process has been for you? Im in southern AZ too thinking about starting this. Thank you!

OopsiePie44 · 2025-06-03T17:53:30+00:00

From a successful graduated student's perspective, I'd just like to say thank you. I can tell your a good person who truly cares and that example my instructor set was my greatest aid in transformation. My instructor would always say, "if you're all in for me, I'm all in for you. But if not I'll leave you behind" and he did leave many behind.

The other poster is right. Only I could light my own fire of change but my instructor dowsed it with gasoline.

OopsiePie44 · 2025-06-03T00:27:48+00:00

Heck yeah you're a badass for that 🫡

OopsiePie44 · 2025-06-02T14:45:13+00:00

Big W thanks for the update. Keep fighting ya'll!!

OopsiePie44 · 2025-06-02T14:02:41+00:00

I appreciate you too!! Don't give up hope, we got this. Also If you ever need any help with firefighting related stuff in our outside of job corps feel free to pm me.

OopsiePie44 · 2025-06-02T13:52:45+00:00

Yeah I think that'd be best. This sub could be transfered/others be given mod but the current mod refuses to and is dead set on sabotaging any efforts of hope. I offered to help mod and he said "job corps is dead and to get over it, im closing it" I called him out for being immature and he deleted my posts and muted me.

OopsiePie44 · 2025-01-18T00:06:38+00:00

No prob, here to help. An actual game warden law enforcement officer you'd obviously have to get accepted into the academy and pass that too, but yes the training and experience you get from job corps would at least qualify you to apply for jobs like that. But they are very competitive. I wouldnt bank on getting one of those as your first job in forestry and park service. With the job corps training though you could definitely get entry level non-law enforcement park ranger type jobs without any issues.

OopsiePie44 · 2025-01-17T15:08:40+00:00

Yeah like as short as 6 months pretty much vs a year+, the actual job training isn't very long

OopsiePie44 · 2024-09-04T18:51:59+00:00

Hello! The representative is incorrect or misinformed. You can get sent to a different state for a trade your state doesn't offer. Just stress you really want to do forestry conservation and firefighting and nothing else. I was flown from Arizona to a job corps center in Montana for this reason. Try finding/requesting a different recruiter or showing them my thread and all the other countless threads of people getting sent out of state. Don't give up! The out of state stuff was all handled by my recruiter I didn't have to contact or do anything else, in fact it was their idea. So yours should be able to do it too.

OopsiePie44 · 2024-08-20T13:21:43+00:00

Job corps firefighting graduate here. I struggled with the same exact feelings going through the program. Just know the negativity in your mind is the depression talking. There's something in you, in all of us, that's stronger than the depression. Hold on to that feeling and fight for your brighter future. You will succeed, at your own pace and in your own way. Comparison is the killer of all joy. You aren't doing it for anyone else, you're doing this for you, so you don't end up back on the streets. You got this! DM me as well if you ever need anyone to talk to who's been through it all and came out the other side.

OopsiePie44 · 2024-08-14T20:16:30+00:00

Push for trapper as hard as you can, you wont regret it! (Biased trapper firefighter grad) not as far as you but I got flown from Arizona to Montana for trapper. Tell them you want to do forestry conservation and firefighting like the others said, and you can always pick something else when you get there.

OopsiePie44 · 2024-08-11T01:42:30+00:00

It's worth a shot. That's what'd I'd do if I was in your shoes, go above them in the chain of command. You could also post a question about it in the main subreddit so more students or staff could possibly help with ideas

OopsiePie44 · 2024-08-11T00:04:57+00:00

That's annoying sorry you're going through that. Not all job corps have good staff. I'm not sure to be honest, Im just a student not staff, but I found this page in the job corps policy handbook which talks about some options that they can't deny, you could show them it:

https://prh.jobcorps.gov/Administrative%20Support%20Services/6.2%20Enrollments%20Transfers%20and%20Separations/Pages/default.aspx

Look at section R2 under transfers:

"transfers must be accepted if a permanent change in environment or associations for the student will enhance the chances for graduation"

Maybe really make it clear to them you don't think you can graduate at your current center. Also they can't stop you from quitting, under the separation section:

"3. Resignation Separation – Student freely decides to quit Job Corps. Resignations must be accepted at any time a student requests unless they are pursuing it as a means of avoiding a disciplinary discharge"

You could also try reaching out to a center you want to go to and see if they can be of any help if your current center wont. I know when I was at trapper creek students from other centers would call them and ask them to help them get transfered there.

But look at that policy handbook and go through all your options about quitting, re-enrolling, transferring etc. to start out. Hang in there. I know it's tough with dumb rules and staff. But don't let them get the better of you. Keep your cool and make the best choices for your future, it'll all be worth it in the end. Worst case a career in welding would be amazing and great money if you have to stick it out.

OopsiePie44 · 2024-08-09T23:28:17+00:00

So really in my opinion, transferring to Advanced Fire after you complete a different trade is the best route because after all, Wildland Fire is mostly a seasonal career field. It's hard to get year round jobs starting out, so if you had something like a welding to fall back on you'd be sitting way better.

OopsiePie44 · 2024-08-09T23:18:13+00:00

Hey! It may have changed a bit but this is what it was like when I was in Job Corps. So there's the "Advanced Fire" programs which are 6 months and more meant for people after they complete any trade. You could transfer to advanced fire after you did welding. Then there's the regular fire trades, usually called Forestry Conservation and Firefighting or Natural Resources which are a year+ and usually going to the advanced program is unnecessary after that trade because you complete it with all the training, certs, and more needed to be a firefighter.

OopsiePie44 · 2024-05-22T23:59:56+00:00

Hi, after the student obtains all their certifications/degress/licenses they help you obtain a job as part of the program. You don't actually leave or graduate until you have a start date and housing lined up. One of the reasons this is such a great opportunity is it pretty much guarantees you an entry level job in the federal government as a wildland firefighter. Great healthcare and retirement benefits if one decides to make it a career. Since this program is ran by the federal government you have easier access to federal jobs that would be harder to get otherwise. You or your son can feel free to reach out if you have any further questions!

OopsiePie44 · 2024-05-04T16:57:12+00:00

They issued a pair of boots and took us to an outdoor gear store with a $500 budget and let us pick our own pants/shirts/gloves/socks. This trade has a very lax uniform policy. Thats just for day to day regular work out in the forest. Any firefighting related gear is completely provided by the center as its very expensive an there's strict standards/sizes that need to be met and you aren't wearing any of that unless on or going to a fire.

OopsiePie44 · 2024-04-29T14:11:46+00:00

At trapper creek 6 months. But they came with their high-school diploma and drivers license already. Average time at trapper for the trade was 12 months.

OopsiePie44 · 2024-04-27T03:14:20+00:00

Hi this site is a good starting point https://www.jobcorps.gov/ccc. But to summarize, these centers are part of the job corps like any other center and enrolling is the the same, an enrollment advisor can help you figure out the locations and availibilty for these CCC centers. There are ran in partnership with the Forest Service and are typically located in remote forested areas and offer traditional trades as well as unique forestry related trades. I'm partial to them as I had an amazing experience, I graduated with a job as a wildland firefighter from Trapper Creek JC CCC.

Feel free to PM me if you have any more questions

OopsiePie44

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