Firefighter Workplace Learning: An Exploratory Case Study (Link)

Despite there being a significant amount of research investigating workplace learning,
research exploring firefighter workplace learning is almost nonexistent. The purpose of
this qualitative multi-case study was to explore how firefighters conceptualize, report,
and practice workplace learning. The researcher also investigated how firefighters learn
informally in the workplace and how that informal learning was manifested. A qualitative
multi-case research study of six full-time career firefighters employed by a fire
department in New York State was conducted. Data were collected through field
observations, interviews, and document analysis. The data were analyzed using grounded
theory analysis as detailed by Charmaz (2006). Several themes emerged from the data
analysis revealing how firefighters learn in the workplace. Findings indicate that
firefighters learn necessary workplace information through both formal and informal
learning practices. Firefighters learn formally in the workplace by (a) attending the fire
academy, (b) participating in the in-service training programs, (c) taking external fire
service courses, (d) attending college-level fire science programs, and (e) teaching and
instructing. Firefighters learn informally in the workplace (a) through practice, (b) from
each other, (c), through self-directed learning activities, and (d) from prior exposure to
the fire service. These findings highlighted a complex, hybrid interaction between formal
and informal workplace learning activities. The findings present implications for both fire
service practice and policy. Findings from this study suggest workplace learning may be
enhanced through training fire officers to identify and foster firefighter’s informal
workplace learning practices. The policy implications for fire department managers and
trainers include improving firefighter informal learning in the fire service through the
provision of support, resources, and time for learning activities as well as by developing
mechanisms to record and document the time spent on informal learning activities.