Conventional training, like military boot camp, almost always assumes recruits know nothing, have few skills and must be built from the ground up. This way of thinking is unfortunate and relatively ineffective.
As long as your agency isn't Neanderthal-dominated, you should be successful. Your best chance at being accepted and successful is to be absolutely competent.
Treating everyone "fairly" doesn't work. Rather, you must be equitable. What's the difference? I always say, "Fair happens once a year, and it's called the county fair." Equity should happen daily. Equity takes into consideration differences, while still giving everyone access to opportunity.