But it's a transition Matt Burgess is hoping to make at the age of 36.

Matt took another step toward his goal when he attended a Rural Fire Service Association's Volunteer to Career workshop in Wagga.

"I've mainly been in sales and customer service but I am looking for a career change would like to be a full-time firefighter," Matt said.

"The workshop helps volunteers to learn the skills necessary to join the paid ranks of the rural fire service."

Matt is a member of the Tarcutta brigade in the Riverina zone and is also studying a Bachelor of Social Science Emergency Management through distance education at Charles Sturt University.

"There are more than 70,000 volunteers with the rural fire service but there are only a small number of paid positions," Matt said.

"At the moment I am waiting for one to become available."