Apprentice Emergency Care Assistant (AECA)

We are currently refreshing this Apprenticeship to make it the best it can be! Check back here soon for further updates!

Trainee Paramedic Pathway

This is an exciting new pathway which can take you from having no medical background to a Newly Qualified Paramedic in approximately 3.5-4 years.

To find out more click on the Trainee Paramedic tab to the right, which will take you to the roles dedicated page.

Student Paramedic – Apprentice (Eligible internal members of staff only)

Our Student Paramedic Apprenticeship programme is currently only available internally within our Trust and is open to existing team members serving in patient-facing roles such as Emergency Care Assistants and Associate Ambulance Practitioners. The aim of this Apprenticeship is to encourage our people to develop their careers and become fully-qualified Paramedics.

This increases accessibility to a highly respected profession, allowing our people to continue to work on the front line while gaining a full BSc (Hons) in Paramedic Practice, allowing our Ambulance Service to develop our own staff and grow and strengthen our workforce.

To illustrate how you can progress internally to a Qualified Paramedic we have created a progression map and this can be found by clicking on the link to the right, alongside the Job Description and Person Specification.

Introducing one of our Apprentice Emergency Care Assistants Peri…

Read Peri’s story about how she went from Drama School Teacher to an Apprentice Emergency Care Assistant!

• What did you do before joining SCAS?

Originally, I worked in a secondary school as a Drama Teacher and I absolutely loved working with students.

Within the school I also worked in Pastoral Care, as a Youth Mental Health First Aider.  Whilst I was working there we teamed up with Mental Health England and helped teach the 6th formers to be a supportive person with new students.

I left education after we started to expand our family.  During lockdown, I decided I didn’t want to go back into teaching and joined a vaccination hub as a vaccinator for 8 months.

• What made you decide to apply for the AECA role?

 A close friend is a Paramedic and she encouraged me to consider a role with SCAS, I honestly didn’t think I had the confidence to do it.  However, as a vaccinator I worked alongside Paramedics and others from all walks of the NHS at the vaccination centre. Part of my role was to talk to patients, build rapport and help if they had a panic attack.  I also supported in giving vaccinations to the public and soon realised a new set of skills.  I looked at SCAS roles online where I saw the AECA Virtual Live Chat, I thought I would give this a go.

I was that I had the qualifications to apply for the Emergency Care Assistant position directly, but I wanted to learn via the Apprenticeship route and learn from the ground up. It was also a great way to ease in with a young family.

• How did you find/are you finding your apprenticeship? – Talk to us a little about the training you received?

Really enjoying it! I think the time spent with the Patient Transport Service (PTS) is invaluable for the development of a frontline team member.  Personally, I think anyone who works frontline should do some time with PTS.  You get to build relationships with patients because you may take the same person to their appointments 3-4 times a week.  You develop skills that are fundamental such as manual handling and communication skills – learning how to talk to people with disabilities and from different backgrounds.

The education centre is a great facility with great educators.

• What is the best thing about your role?

The reaction from friends and family, they are proud and supportive, especially my children.

Also another aspect has to be without a doubt the people I have been working with so far.

• Do you have plans to progress further in SCAS

Yes in the future I hope to expand my skillset, perhaps this could see me fall back on my education experience?

If this is of interest to you, click ‘Apply Now’ to view our current vacancies.

For further information or questions about these our Apprenticeships, you can call 01869 365000 or email Recruitment@scas.nhs.uk