WEST Midlands Ambulance Service (WMAS) this week celebrated more than 2,400 apprentices coming through its ranks past and present.
The service was one of the first ambulance trusts approved as an Apprenticeship Main Training Provider with the Education and Skills Funding Agency for Higher Level Apprenticeships.
It remains the most productive organisation in the West Midlands region and within the ambulance sector for developing staff through the delivery of the apprenticeship standards.
WMAS, which first introduced apprenticeship programmes in 2010, also has the largest provision of student paramedic registered apprentices.
The very first one – the Motor Vehicle Apprenticeship – still runs at the trust today.
To date, the trust currently has several apprenticeships to offer, ranging from levels 2 to 7.
In October 2012, the trust introduced its non-emergency patient transport Scheme and 289 apprentices have been recruited onto the scheme over those ten years.
There are currently 15 on programme while many others have progressed to permanent positions with the trust – 24 are now paramedics, 20 are technicians, seven are progressing within the student paramedic pathway, four are involved in the training staff and 40 are employed within the patient transport scheme and other departments.
People director, Carla Beechey, said apprenticeships were key to helping the trust build its future workforce, adding she would like to thank everyone involved in supporting the schemes and assisting with staff development.
The trust is celebrating National Apprenticeship Week on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by sharing the stories of some past and present apprentices and celebrating their hard work and progression within the trust.
Visit wmas.nhs.uk/careers-staff-room/job- opportunities-2 for more on WMAS apprenticeships.
