WEST Midlands Ambulance Service (WMAS) is celebrating 16 years of apprenticeships at the Trust this National Apprenticeship Week.
Since their introduction, the Trust has seen over 1,850 apprentices past and present, who have been employed by WMAS.
National Apprenticeship Week, which runs from February 9 to 15, aims to shine a light on the amazing work being done by employers and apprentices across the country.
WMAS 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.
The Trust currently has 11 apprenticeship programmes and works in collaboration with six partner universities and 8 apprenticeship training providers and colleges to facilitate staff’s progression.
The Trust first introduced apprenticeship programmes in 2010, when it introduced the very first apprenticeship which still runs at the Trust today – the Motor Vehicle Apprenticeship.
In October 2012, the Trust announced its Non-Emergency Patient Transport Scheme and over the 13 years it have recruited 500 apprentices onto this scheme.
To date, the Trust currently has several apprenticeship routes to offer, ranging from level 2 to level 7 apprenticeships.
The Trust has now started a planning submission for Office for Students to further its internal position and educational development and to continue progress for the delivery of its higher education apprenticeships for Paramedic Sciences.
Recruitment manager, Louise Jones said: “We’re delighted to be marking National Apprenticeship Week and shining a spotlight on the apprenticeships we have available.
“There’s a common misconception that we only recruit Paramedics, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.
“We offer a diverse range of apprenticeship opportunities, from student paramedic training and Motor Vehicle apprenticeships to Business Administration and many more.”
The Trust says it is actively leading at a national level to ensure it is both sighted on sector development and actively involved in writing legislation to meet the needs of educational programmes for Apprenticeships and has been invited by Ofsted this year to act as part of their pilot scheme for their new improved education inspection framework.
Director of people at WMAS, Carla Beechey said: “Apprenticeships play a vital role in building our future workforce. I’d like to thank everyone involved in supporting our apprenticeship programmes and helping our staff to grow, develop and succeed.
“Our workforce should reflect the communities we serve, and apprenticeships offer a valuable route for local people to join the Trust and gain skills that will last a lifetime.”
