Ambulance provider AMR has announced that it is providing free emergency medical technician training to women this fall at Miramar College, and it is offering to hire those who complete the program.
As part of its "Earn While You Learn" program, AMR will cover student cadets' tuition and book costs, and pay them for the hours they attend class, the company said Wednesday.
Cadets will also be eligible for dental, medical, vision and 401K benefits.
AMR will hire those who complete the program and pass a national EMT exam, the company said.
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Carlos Valdez Acosta-Meza, an AMR operations manager, said March is Women's History Month and the right time to launch the training program.
"Women play a critical role in the field of emergency medical services, including here at AMR," Acosta-Meza said. "This academy will help put more women on a promising and rewarding career path while bolstering the ranks of female EMTs and paramedics in the San Diego region."
Cadets will learn various EMT skills, including driving an ambulance, delivering a baby, performing CPR, using an automated external defibrillator and administering an EpiPen, according to AMR.
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When not attending class, cadets will shadow AMR paramedics and EMTs sent to actual emergencies across the county, and be paid for that time as well.
Although there have been two other academies over the past year, AMR said this will be the first all-female academy it has sponsored.
Women wishing to attend the academy may request an application here.
