Trainee Ambulance Technicians

Please do not apply if you already have a current application in process OR have had an unsuccessful application in the last 6 months.

Would you like to become an Ambulance Technician in the beautiful North Region of Scotland? If so, we may have a post for you…

We are recruiting for Trainee Ambulance Technicians in the following locations:

• Mallaig*
• Strontian*
• Portree
• Bettyhill*
• Gairloch*
• Banchory
• Ballater (Part-time)
• Banff
• Dufftown
• Peterhead
• Daliburgh* (Part-time)
• Stornoway (Part-time)
• Kirkwall

*Please note these are home-based on call locations and you will require to live within a reasonable distance of the location. This is an ideal post for those already living in or near these locations and looking to start a career with the Scottish Ambulance Service, or those looking to move to the area.

The Role

Ambulance Technicians provide immediate care right across Scotland, often to people in their most vulnerable state and in very difficult and challenging environments. As a result, you will be required to show compassion and empathy and be able to deal with the difficult situations that we have to respond to. Most importantly, you need to be able to keep calm under pressure, make good decisions and take control.

The starting salary for Technician Students is £30,127 per annum, rising to £34,544 on successful completion of the Service’s training programme. This will increase in increments to £43,039 per annum.

Technician vacancies are offered on a full or part-time contract basis and are referred to as “relief”. Relief is the working pattern that new Technicians work and means that you will be given your shift pattern several weeks in advance, but it won’t always be the same shift pattern. It also means there are times when you will need to be flexible and work a changing shift pattern and at other stations.

The Training

The successful applicant for this post will be an employee of the Service from their start date and will be enrolled on our bespoke clinical programme which will lead to a vocational diploma in Emergency Care Support. The whole programme takes approximately 16 months with the first fourteen weeks carried out at one of our regional training centres. After this time, you will progress to your allocated Ambulance Station where you will be mentored by other qualified staff as well as receiving ongoing support and learning from the education team.

The Person

This is a hugely varied role, each day and each patient is different. As a result, you will need to have excellent interpersonal skills as well as an ability to communicate effectively in a range of different and often difficult circumstances. You will need to demonstrate flexibility and the ability to make effective and safe decisions.

We welcome applications form a range of backgrounds, however, previous experience in a healthcare role or a healthcare related qualification would be an advantage. Volunteer work or working with your community would also be beneficial.

The Scottish Ambulance Service encourages applications from ethnic minorities and those with disabilities. If you would like to know more, please see the “Job Interview Guarantee Scheme Information” attached.

Please note, candidates are not required to hold a C1 category driving licence to apply, however this is required no later than 6 weeks before any programme start date. This can be a lengthy process and we always advise candidates to seek their provisional licence as soon as possible. Please refer to the DVLA website for more information on C1 category driving licences. Please note we will initially prioritise candidates who already have a C1 licence.

All candidates will be required to satisfy the following minimum entry requirements:

• Evidence of successful study at SCQF Level 4 or above in Maths and English – Please refer to Trainee Technician Qualification Guidance.
• Full UK driving licence with no more than 4 penalty points.
• Candidates will be required to obtain a C1 Driving category on their current driving licence at least 6 weeks before any start date offered.

Candidates will be required to successfully complete the following selection process:

• Application Review and Shortlisting

Those who are shortlisted will be invited to attend:

• Occupational Fitness Test – to be held June/July
• Competency and Values Based Interview – to be held June/July

Those who successfully complete the above process and are made an offer, will complete the following as pre-employment checks:

• Occupational Health Screening
• Satisfactory application to the Protecting Vulnerable Groups Scheme (Disclosure Scotland)
• Reference process

The progression route to Paramedic has changed. If you wish to pursue a career as a Paramedic, please visit the following link: http://www.scottishambulance.com/WorkingForUs/paramedic.aspx

To work in the United Kingdom, there is a legal requirement for an individual to demonstrate that they have the relevant permission to work in the country. This permission is, without exception, granted by the UK Visa and Immigrations Service.

As part of the pre-employment checks for a preferred candidate, NHS Scotland Boards will check your entitlement to work in the UK. It can be evidenced through a number of routes including specific types of visa as well as EU settled and pre-settled status. To find out more about these routes of permission, please refer to the GOV.UK website here.

Please note that The Scottish Ambulance Service is NOT licensed to issue certificates of sponsorship under current UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) regulations. Applicants must have the right to work in the UK without requiring sponsorship to work with us.

Due to legislative changes from 1 April 2025, this post may require a different level of criminal records check done than is currently the case. If the post is assessed as a "regulated role", your appointment will be subject to joining the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme. If there is any change to what is currently required, this will be confirmed by either the Hiring Manager or the Recruitment Team. For more details on these changes please visit: Disclosure Scotland Changes.

NHS Scotland is committed to encouraging equality and diversity among our workforce and eliminating unlawful discrimination. The aim is for our workforce to be truly representative and for each employee to feel respected and able to give their best. To this end, NHS Scotland welcomes applications from all sections of society.