This article was written by AMR Erlanger.
If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to work in an industry that is in high demand, makes a significant impact on the community and offers multiple options for a rewarding career path, now’s your chance.
American Medical Response’s (AMR) Erlanger operation is looking for candidates to take part in its award-winning Earn While You Learn (EWYL) program, which provides paid on-the-job training in pre-hospital Emergency Medical Services (EMS).
Under the program, all training costs are covered, and participants are hired as employees and paid while attending AMR’s EMT-Basic certification course. Upon successful completion of the program and obtaining their state certification, graduates are promoted to EMT-B, with a competitive pay rate increase as well.
AMR, part of the Global Medical Response family and America’s leading provider of medical transportation, launched the EWYL program as a way to lessen the financial load for those wanting to become EMS professionals, but struggle with the costs associated with the education aspect of the profession. “I truly believe our community has smart and very capable people who would make excellent EMS professionals, but let’s face it — money is tight right now. This program is going to help those qualified candidates to not only get their required training in EMS, but also obtain it at no cost to them and with the bonus of a paycheck,” said Todd Whitaker, AMR Erlanger paramedic and Earn While You Learn program coordinator.
The eight-week course involves an intensive training on life support techniques for first-response situations, including CPR and wound treatment to name a few. From the very start, the training involves an extensive onboarding process, which goes through the procedures of learning basic life support, which is critical to treating and stabilizing a patient before the individual arrives to a hospital or care facility. Whitaker says it’s a very thorough program that leads to an exciting career with numerous avenues for growth and learning.
“It doesn’t end at graduation,” adds Whitaker. “We want all the candidates who successfully complete this program to know that the opportunities in EMS are immense. It’s what they want to make of it. EMT training can lead to and is a necessary prerequisite to enter the paramedic education program. Some who enter this line of service, will go on to advance as EMS Managers or as an EMS Instructor-Coordinator. Others may use their skills to pursue a career as a firefighter. Some may even decide they want to go back to school to learn more and pursue a career in other EMS-related work. It’s really just the beginning, and that’s what makes this program awesome. The demand is increasing for EMTs and paramedics, so this is the start of a door-opening profession that has a good employment outlook.”
Whitaker is right. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment of EMTs and paramedics is projected to increase 11 percent nationally from 2020-2030, which is faster than average. The positive job market for paramedics is due to several reasons, including a continual rise in specialized medical facilities that will require more EMTs and paramedics to transport patients. And as experience has taught us, especially in the last couple of years, EMS clinicians are the bedrock of our healthcare systems, providing essential service to communities across our nation.
This is one of the reasons AMR Erlanger believes the EWYL program will be a success, offering a refreshing opportunity for Kentucky residents who want to explore the wealth of career opportunities in EMS. The program is nationally recognized by the American Ambulance Association in the Employee Programs Category and is the first Earn While You Learn program to launch in Kentucky.
Additionally, the program has received tremendous praise nationwide for not only meeting a critical need caused by the EMT shortage, but also for providing jobs, particularly where unemployment has been high. The program has been described as a fair and innovative solution to filling critical positions while creating professional development opportunities in the process. Also recently, the program celebrated its 1,000th graduate in a ceremony in New York City, and similar EWYL programs have also been launched in Indiana, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, California, Arizona, Nevada, Washington and Ohio. Interested applicants should contact Todd Whitaker at william.whitaker@gmr.net.
“We’re really looking for applicants who are compassionate, care about helping their community and want to work for an amazing company that puts people first while offering employees great benefits,” said Whitaker. “If you have these qualities, then you are encouraged to apply for the Earn While You Learn Program and start moving toward a path that serves our communities and saves lives by extending healthcare services beyond the walls of the hospital.”To qualify, an applicant must be 18 years of age or older, have a high school diploma or GED, have all required immunizations and successfully pass background checks. The program is open to residents from Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky. Interested candidates should apply by June 30, 2022, on the AMR website. Classes begin August 16, 2022. Candidates must have a valid and current driver’s license and pass a drug screening. To apply, head to the AMR website and sign up at https://careers.gmr.net/amr/jobs/26765?lang=en-us.
