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
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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
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Volunteering
You'll find it helpful to have some health or social care experience before applying for a job.
You could:
- get advice from the voluntary services co-ordinator at your local NHS trust
- 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.
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Further information
You can find out more about how to become an emergency care assistant from Health Careers.