In the summer of 2021 I worked as a wildland firefighter which required an extensive training process. At this time Covid regulations were still very prevalent and the company I worked for had to create a new system for trainings its employees. This training consisted of five days of zoom classes with numerous tests to make sure we were obtaining the information needed. If the class was struggling on a topic, the instructor would pause his progress, and go back to review the information. At the end of the five day training the company put on a field day where we would be tested on everything we had learned throughout the zoom training. The rules were simple, if you pass all the tests, you get the job. If you failed a test, you could take the training again in the following weeks, or leave the company. This training has to be passed by law in order to work on any government fire. I thought this was an excellent program because everyone in my class passed with flying colors and deployed the very next week. I thought that what made this training so beneficial was the company’s emphasis on how important it was. Everyone took it very seriously because they knew it was their own safety on the line if they didn’t.

This last summer I worked for a multi-sub contractor and one of my trainings was opposite of beneficial. I worked in the fire-sprinkler division where I helped bid and design potential projects for the future. One day a company came in to perform a training on how to reset sprinkler system. My company had all the office personnel attend this six hour training even though none of us do any work in the field. It was an interesting well structured course but it shouldn’t had been us who took it. This training should have been given to the workers in the field since they are the ones who take care of these matters when the company gets a call. It was a great training but given to the wrong audience for it to be beneficial.