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First Ever Isle Of Wight Ambulance Staff Prepare For Paramedic Apprenticeship

Isle of Wight Ambulance Service (IWAS) Emergency Vehicle Operatives (EVOs) are preparing to embark on a Paramedic Apprenticeship - for the first time ever.

Adam, Lynsey, Kenny and Steve, join a cohort of 24 South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS) Emergency Care Assistants next week.

The four EVOs will study with the University of Cumbria both online and attending lessons, which are hosted by SCAS on the mainland.

They will all continue to work as part of an IWAS emergency ambulance crew with a paramedic mentor, completing supervised work-based learning.

Adam, Lynsey, Kenny and Steve all successfully completed a bridging course with the University of Cumbria and their prior experience and knowledge is recognised - enabling them to enter directly onto year 2 of a BSc in Paramedic Science. To earn their degree they will commence their study for two years.

The Trust says it wanted to provide IWAS staff with a career progression route, giving the service an opportunity to grow their own paramedic workforce for the future.

Alasdair Hay, Isle of Wight Ambulance Service Educator, said:

“The Isle of Wight NHS Trust Ambulance Service has been involved in the development of the new Paramedic Degree Apprenticeships from the start with a view to developing our own staff into future Paramedics.

"It is very exciting to now be in the position of seeing our first four apprentices embark on their studies as part of the third cohort nationally.”

Steve said:

“This is a great opportunity to progress forward; I’ve been waiting for this for some time now and it’s awesome that circumstances dictate that I can now move forward with it.”

Lynsey said:

“I am looking forward to the challenge ahead of me and cannot wait to qualify and make my family proud.”

Kenny said:

“After 6 years as an EVO I decided that it was the right time for me to develop myself and progress within the Ambulance service. The Paramedic Apprenticeship program really suites me, being able to learn whilst working enables me to have a study/home life balance, which is really important to me.”

Adam said:

“After 10 years with the IWAS working in Patient Transport Services and as an Emergency Vehicle Operative, the Paramedic Apprenticeship Programme is a great opportunity for career progression, supported by the IWAS.”

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