The CFA is set to take on more than 100 new firefighters next year in its biggest recruitment drive.

One hopeful, Kaine Splatt, is doing work experience with the Wodonga brigade.

“I think being a firefighter is probably the best career because it’s what I love to do,” Mr Splatt said.

“I’ve actually got family who are firefighters and I remember when I was about six years old dad took me to my uncle’s fire station.”

Potential recruits go through five stages including physical challenges before the final interview to secure what was last night described as a “career for life”.

Mr Splatt, 25, applied last year and reached the interview stage but was unsuccessful.

“That just pushes me even harder,” he said.

Already a volunteer with the Point Cook brigade he hopes his experience at Wodonga will give him an edge during the selection process.

“So I can say I’ve done day shifts, I’ve done night shifts,” he said.

“And it’s not all fight fires, I’ll do the duties they do, I’ll go and clean the toilets, do the truck inventories, all that sort of stuff.”

A qualified mechanic Mr Splatt said the main attraction of a career with the CFA was “to help people, to help the community”.

For Wodonga man Bevan Peake, 39, learning there was a beep test cemented his decision not to apply this year.

“I will apply but I won’t apply this time around,” Mr Peake said.

“Physically I’m strong enough, I’m a carpenter, but I probably wouldn’t have the aerobic capacity to pass the beep test.

“That’s something I have to work on.”

CFA recruitment manager Martin Penrose said he expected about 40 per cent of last night’s group to apply this year.

“How many will get through? It’s about a nine-to-one chance and by the final interview about three-to-one.”