National Careers Week: Medic Hina Pajwani shares her experiences of apprenticeship opportunities at London Ambulance Service

This National Careers Week, Emergency Ambulance Crew Hina Pajwani shares how an apprenticeship gave her the opportunity to train towards becoming a paramedic.

Hina joined the Service over two years ago as a Trainee Emergency Ambulance Crew (TEACs) and hasn’t looked back since.

Since 2020, clinicians at LAS, including TEACs, have had the opportunity to study towards becoming a paramedic via an apprenticeship course – which Hina is doing.

Hina said: “I have always been really interested in starting a career in healthcare. I was excited to find a role that didn’t require me to take the traditional degree route, but would still offer me all the skills and knowledge needed to respond to emergencies and care for Londoners in need.”

Once they qualified as an Emergency Ambulance Crew, Hina decided she was ready to develop her career further and enrolled on the paramedic apprenticeship course, run with Cumbria University.

Hina said: “The apprenticeship paramedic course is a perfect opportunity for me to study to become a qualified paramedic, while still working shifts on the frontline and earning a salary.

“I feel the route I have taken to become a paramedic is a lot more accessible, but also unique. I’m able to put all the theory I’m learning straight into practice when caring for patients. And I’ve learnt so much already. I work alongside qualified experienced clinicians and receive support from practice educators, which has really helped build my confidence.”

Hina added: “For anyone thinking of joining the London Ambulance Service, I say, just go for it! It’s so rewarding, and there are so many opportunities and routes to take without needing a degree, which isn’t always the best option financially or personally for someone.

“I’m really looking forward to becoming a fully qualified paramedic and continuing to look after my patients the best way I can.”

Apprenticeships are a great way to progress your career at LAS and the ambulance service offers a multitude of different routes for external and internal candidates to develop or start a career.

These include the Associate Ambulance Practitioner apprenticeship, which is open to external applicants and is a route to becoming a medic without any prior medical qualifications, and the paramedic apprenticeship course, which is fully funded and offers internal staff the ability to gain a degree in paramedicine. For more information on the different apprenticeship opportunities visit the London Ambulance Service website.