Pre-Apprenticeship Program at ECC Introduces Young Women to Careers in Fire Service

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A new summer pre-apprenticeship program at Elgin Community College (ECC) recently introduced teenage girls and young women ages 16 to 18 to careers in the fire service through hands-on training, industry-recognized certifications, and mentorship from female firefighters. 

The “Girls on Fire” pre-apprenticeship, held over four days in early June, was launched by ECC’s Office of Workforce Development. The group explored careers in firefighting and emergency services while learning practical skills such as CPR.

“The goal was simply to provide a safe space for high school girls to explore a career in firefighting to help increase the number of women entering the profession,” said Elissa Kojzarek, director of strategic partnerships and experiential learning at ECC. “All instructors are female to provide them with mentorship and encouragement. They are earning all the industry-recognized credentials and will be on our radar for Firefighter Apprenticeships when they graduate high school, if they are still interested.”

Certifications pre-apprentices received included Basic Life Support (BLS) Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) from the American Heart Association (AHA), Stop the Bleed from the American College of Surgeons, First Aid from AHA, and Bloodborne Pathogens from the AHA. 

The inaugural cohort included the following pre-apprentices: high schoolers Karen Garcia, Fatima Guadalupe, Jaeliene Cueto, and recent high school graduate Alyssa Johnston. 

Garcia said she was drawn to the camp because she is interested in health care and helping people during emergencies. Johnston plans to study firefighting this fall during her first year of college.

The cohort learned directly from women working in the field, one being Katie Knasko, a lieutenant paramedic with the Streamwood Fire Department. Knasko has taught as a part-time adjunct instructor at ECC for about four years. 

“I feel like with confidence, anything is possible,” Knasko said. “All these skills can be taught, no matter your size, shape, or age. It's just a matter of giving them the confidence to pursue it, and if it's something they want to do, then I would be able to instruct them in the BOF (Basic Operations Firefighter program) Academy.”

When Jeanette Haro Silva first became interested in the fire service, she rarely saw women, particularly Latina women, working in the profession. Now an ECC alumna and instructor with the Pingree Grove Fire Protection District, she hopes to inspire and encourage other girls to pursue careers in the field. Silva is an AHA–certified instructor and supported the pre-apprenticeship by teaching BLS CPR and First Aid. 

Additional instructors include Sarie Turner, Alexandria Cunningham, and Laura Watt. 

“They are an exceptional group who adjusted their schedules to make this program happen,” Director of Corporate & Community Education Chris Lester said about the program instructors. “While support for training is strong across the fire service, when these firefighters learned about the Girls on Fire program, they immediately stepped forward with enthusiasm and support to bring more young women into the fire service.”

Kojzarek said they plan to bring back the pre-apprenticeship program next summer in 2027.

Workforce Development runs a fire science pre-apprenticeship program year-round. Information sessions are available each month for interested individuals. Registration can be found at elgin.edu/internships.