How to become an emergency care assistant
You can get into this job through:
- a college course
- an apprenticeship
- applying directly
College
You could do a college course to give you some of the skills and knowledge you need to become an emergency care assistant.
You could do a level 2 certificate or level 3 diploma in health and social care. You could also do a T Level in Health.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 2 or more GCSEs at grades 9 to 3 (A* to D), or equivalent, for a level 2 course
- 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths for a T level
More Information
Apprenticeship
You could do an advanced ambulance support worker apprenticeship to become an emergency care assistant.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship
More Information
Volunteering
You'll find it helpful to have some health or social care experience before applying for a job.
You could:
- get advice about volunteering in the NHS
- do first aid work with the British Red Cross or St John Ambulance
- find volunteering opportunities through The National Council for Voluntary Organisations and Do IT
Direct Application
You can apply directly to become an emergency care assistant. You'll usually need to:
- know the highway code and have experience driving
- have experience working in patient care, ideally in the NHS
- have a first aid certificate
Some ambulance services may ask you for 3 or 4 GCSEs, including English, maths and a science subject at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent.
You might need an extra driving qualification for larger vehicles and carrying passengers if you passed your test after 1996.
More Information
Further information
You can find out more about how to become an emergency care assistant from Health Careers.