Two Marion firefighters celebrated the completion of their training course at a graduation ceremony on March 2.

Conor Brown and Joel Watters, both Marion residents, were among the 34 graduates from 20 fire departments that completed the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy’s Call/Volunteer Firefighter Course.

“They did very well, and we’re very proud of what they accomplished,” said Chief Brian Jackvony.

The program offers firefighters from smaller departments a chance to receive the same basic training afforded to full-time recruits at bigger departments. Classes are held on nights and weekends to accommodate those balancing careers along with their volunteer duties.

Jackvony said Brown and Watters, who were both on the department prior to the training, jumped at the opportunity – despite the lengthy commute.

Classes were held an hour and half away in Spencer, three nights a week and on weekends.

“They wanted to take advantage of the training as soon as they could,” Jackvony said.

Brown, 26, is a part-time EMT for the department. For him, serving is a way to give back to his hometown.

“It’s definitely a rite of passage. It’s good to go away and learn things from other firefighters and bring all that back to your department,” Brown said. “We want to provide the best service to our community.”

To earn the certification, Brown and Watters attended a variety of classes totaling 240 hours. Training on hazardous materials, rappelling and fire response took place and included battling live fires in a controlled environment.