Clinicians share frontline insights in new careers videos for schools

Two East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) clinicians have appeared in a pair of new short films designed to give secondary school pupils an insight into careers in the ambulance service.

Ambulance Technician Emma Newbrooks and Duty Commander and Paramedic Peter Schmidt, both from EMAS’s Leicestershire A&E division, took part in the project in partnership with the Royal College of Paramedics and student careers platform Unifrog.

The films aim to show young people what working in the ambulance service involves, highlighting different career pathways and the skills required for frontline roles. The resources will be available through Unifrog, a careers guidance platform used by around 4,000 schools and accessed by more than two million students across the UK.

In the videos, Newbrooks speaks about her career journey from serving as an Army dog handler to working in the ambulance service, explaining how her desire to help people after leaving the military led her to healthcare. She also highlights how skills developed in the armed forces, including communication and resilience, have proved valuable in her role on the frontline.

Schmidt, meanwhile, outlines the personal and professional qualities needed to succeed in the ambulance service, including empathy, strong communication skills and the ability to understand patients’ backgrounds and circumstances while delivering care in high-pressure situations.

The films also feature other colleagues from EMAS’s Leicestershire A&E division and education teams, offering students a broader look at the different roles and responsibilities within NHS ambulance trusts.

Andy Kirk, EMAS assistant director of education and organisational development, said the project aims to inspire the next generation of ambulance professionals.

“I’m really proud and grateful to all the colleagues who came forward to help make this project a reality. Emma and Peter represented themselves and EMAS to an extremely high standard,” he said.

“Over two million young people have access to Unifrog, and I have no doubt that EMAS’s input to these videos will create many aspiring ambulance staff in the near future.”

Andy Kirk, EMAS assistant director of education and organisational development.

Kirsty Lowery-Richardson, head of education at the Royal College of Paramedics, said the partnership would help young people better understand the realities of the profession.

“We are hugely grateful to colleagues at EMAS and especially Emma and Peter for their brilliant contribution in bringing this work to life,” she said.

“We grasped the opportunity to work with Unifrog to promote the paramedic profession but could not do so without a practice partner. We are confident that these resources will help young people to better understand the contemporary paramedic role.”

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