The dynamic duo graduated from an intense 16-week course and are now two of WA’s 28 newest fire fighters.
Mr Ajduk said he was inspired by his father’s 31-year career as a firefighter.
‘When I was a kid I wanted to do what dad did,’ he said. ‘I tried out at 19 and didn’t get through ” I didn’t expect to, I used it as a learning experience to find out the process.
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READ NOW‘I went on to build my own concrete business and tried a couple more times but was unsuccessful.
‘Now that I am in, I have had to sell my business, but I plan to be a firefighter until I retire.
‘We got straight into it; we graduated on Tuesday and I was at the station on Friday.
‘It was a little quiet, I was hoping for it to be busy so I could build my experience, but it was good to be able to ease into the new job.’
Mr White also had to delay starting work in his chosen career.
‘I had always wanted to be a firefighter, I saw what they did in the Hills and for the community and I wanted to do that,’ he said.
‘After high school I became a qualified motorcycle mechanic, but when I tried out to be a fire fighter I did not get in.’
He said it was a long process.
‘There are theory, practical, medical, driving and psychological tests to get through,’ he said.
He described his first week on the job as ‘awesome’.
The fire fighting course, conducted by the Department of Fire and Emergency Services, includes training in road crash rescue, structural fire fighting, bush and vegetation fire fighting, urban search and rescue, hazardous materials and community safety.
Seven recruits were posted to regional career fire stations including Bunbury, Geraldton and Kalgoorlie.