JANS – According to American Medical Response (AMR) Central Mississippi, 13 student employees have completed paid training as emergency medical technicians (EMTs). The group comprises the thirteenth EMT course AMR has run in-house at its Jackson base since 2019. Known as the “Earn While You Learn” (EWYL) program, AMR hires strong applicants and pays them to take the three-month course. The course helps job seekers launch a career on AMR’s ambulances and reduces AMR’s pressing shortage of EMS caregivers. The student employees pay nothing for the training.
“Our Earn While You Learn program is a win-win-win for our local economy, our company, and, most importantly, our patients,” said Ryan Wilson, operations manager of AMR Central Mississippi. “Our students who become EMTs on our ambulances enter a rewarding, good-paying job that will last for decades. Their purchases and taxes enhance our communities. Patients receive emergency medical care more quickly because more EMTs are available.”
Upon completing the course, the students are eligible to take a national exam leading to a State Health Department certificate as an EMT. After certification, AMR hires the students full time as EMTs at $18 per hour, which is more than $41,000 per year. In return for the paid training, the new EWYL EMTs commit to work at AMR for a year. AMR’s new EMTs are also eligible for company scholarships to take more advanced emergency medical courses at area community colleges.
“Our AMR site provides a tremendously attractive career ladder with higher pay for each successive level of certification,” added Wilson. “AMR will pay the full cost for an EMT with us to go through Advanced EMT and paramedic training. A paramedic straight out of school with no experience at that level starts with AMR Central Mississippi at $57,000-plus per year.”
Wilson said AMR is already accepting applications for its next Earn While Your Learn EMT course, which is scheduled to begin August 12, 2024. To qualify for admission to an EWYL course at AMR, the applicant must be at least 18 years old, have a high school diploma or GED, plus a driver’s license and an acceptable driving record. The applicant must also pass a physical fitness test, drug screen, and an aptitude test.
“We make sure our student employees master the knowledge and skills required to provide our patients quality care and fulfill an EMT’s other duties. It’s not a job for everyone, but, for many of us in the medical transport industry, the work is a calling,” noted Wilson.
Nearly 30 percent of EMTs staffing AMR’s Hinds County ambulances graduated from an EWYL course. AMR in Jackson is one of only two Mississippi ambulance services teaching the EMT course in-house.
AMR ensures the students come from diverse backgrounds. Wilson said, “We take pride in our inclusiveness.” He noted the current graduating EWYL class is about 80% people of color and 50% female with an age range of 21 to 46.
Tiffany Darnell, from Terry, MS, grew up close to her grandmother, who was eventually diagnosed with a chronic illness. She watched as ambulances had to be called to her home, to treat and transport her grandmother. Darnell says the care and respect AMR employees showed her family members inspired her to look into a career as an emergency medical responder, specifically with AMR. Darnell is excited to complete this EMT course, and plans to become a paramedic with AMR.
“I was inspired by the work ethic and compassion AMR EMTs showed my grandmother and other family members in our time of need,” said Darnell. “I wanted to be able to have more knowledge about what my family was going through so I decided a career as an emergency medical responder was the best move for me. Because of my close contact with AMR growing up, it was a no-brainer to join their next EWYL class, and I’m looking forward to serving my community.”
Numerous AMR operations nationwide have conducted EWYL job training programs for several years. The company created the program to address a decline in EMS caregivers across the US. Earn While You Learn has played a critical role in filling that gap. Nationally, more than 1,000 EMTs with AMR are EWYL graduates. Among the cities with AMR EWYL programs are Knoxville, Rochester, Tucson, Dayton, Atlanta, San Diego, and Seattle.
A few EWYL students in each Jackson course are employees at area fire rescue departments. Their departments pay a fee to AMR for each of their firefighters taking AMR’s EMT course. After earning a state EMT certificate, the fire rescue personnel can apply for part-time positions with AMR Central Mississippi. Wilson added, “We always hold seats in our courses for our fire rescue allies to enroll students with us.”
AMR will start its next EWYL EMT course on August 12. To learn more applying for paid EMT training at AMR in Jackson, contact the operation’s EMT instructor at Malcolm.robinson@gmr.net or mobile 601-919-7860. To apply, visit www.amr.net/careers.
