Qualification Number: 500/5922/1

All four units of this examination are offered in South Africa in exam sessions in March and October.

Introduction

The IFE Level 3 Certificate in Fire Science, Operations, Fire Safety and Management (VRQ) has been developed by the Institution of Fire Engineers (IFE), representatives of Fire and Rescue services, and other fire professionals. The content and structure of the qualification have been established to reflect best professional practice.

Aims of the Qualification

The IFE Level 3 Certificate in Fire Science, Operations, Fire Safety, and Management (VRQ) has been designed to enable individuals to demonstrate a wide range of critical knowledge and understanding relevant to the role of Crew Manager in the Fire and Rescue Service. Success in the qualification will enable individuals to demonstrate that they can apply their knowledge and skills to provide solutions in a wide range of fire and rescue situations.

Additionally, success in achieving this qualification will enable candidates to meet the academic requirement for membership in the Institution at Technician grade (TIFireE).

Candidates taking examinations in October 2024 should refer to the updated syllabus here.

Target Audience

The qualification will meet the needs of:

• Those employed in Fire and Rescue Service roles across the world, particularly those who are either already in Crew Manager roles or those who wish to develop and demonstrate knowledge and understanding relevant to the role of Crew Manager in preparation for promotion to this role;
• Those operating in specialist fire and rescue contexts, such as aviation or fire prevention/fire safety roles, who need to develop and apply a wide range of knowledge and understanding in their role;
• Other fire professionals who wish to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of fire engineering science, operations, fire safety, and management in the fire and rescue context;
• Individuals throughout the world who wish to achieve membership of the IFE at Technician grade (TIFireE) and to progress to higher levels.

Qualification Structure

In order to achieve the IFE Level 3 Certificate in Fire Science, Operations, Fire Safety, and Management (VRQ), candidates must achieve four mandatory units as follows:

Unit 1: Fire Engineering Science
Unit 2: Fire Operations
Unit 3: Fire Safety
Unit 4: Management and Administration in Fire and Rescue Services

Form of Assessment

Each unit is assessed separately by a one-hour examination. The examinations are closed books and provide a summative assessment of the full range of learning specified in the unit content.  There are 50 marks available in each examination. The examination will take the form of six questions and candidates should attempt all questions in the examination. All examination questions require a written response. The marks allocated to each question are shown on the examination paper.

Examinations are designed to ensure that all sections of the unit content are tested in each examination and to provide candidates with the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding across the content specified in the unit.

Examinations are provided in English only.

In order to achieve a Pass, candidates will be required to attain at least 50% of the 50 marks available to them via the six questions (ie 25 marks). Candidates who answer fewer than six questions will be able to achieve a Pass as long as they achieve the minimum pass mark of 25.

Grading and Certification

Unit Achievement
Each unit is assessed separately. In order to achieve a unit, candidates must obtain at least 50% of the marks available in the relevant examination. Achievement is not graded. Successful candidates are awarded a Unit Certificate which recognises that candidates have passed the unit examination. Where candidates achieve more than one unit in the same examination session but have not achieved the four units required for a full qualification, all of the units achieved at that session (ie all examinations passed) will be listed on a single Unit Certificate.

Achievement of the IFE Level 3 Certificate in Fire Science, Operations, Fire Safety and Management
In order to achieve the IFE Level 3 Certificate in Fire Science, Operations, Fire Safety and Management, candidates must achieve a Pass in all four mandatory units/examinations. The qualification certificate is not graded – successful candidates will be awarded a Pass Certificate.

Candidates do not need to achieve Passes in all four units in the same examination session. Candidates who achieve fewer than four components in one examination session will receive the relevant unit certificate(s).  Candidates must achieve all four units within five years. The five-year period starts from 1 January of the year in which they take and pass their first examination. Candidates who take examinations in March 2023 and October 2023 will be able to combine these with passes from examinations that they sat in 2022, 2021, 2020 and 2019. The IFE will automatically issue a full Level 3 Certificate in Fire Science, Operations, Fire Safety and Management certificate at the point where candidates have achieved all four of the unit required.

Candidates may re-sit papers (at their expense in the next exam session) as often as necessary in order to achieve a Pass.