Emergency Services
The blue light emergency responders are the visible, and audible, public face of the three main organisations in the UK – the Police Service, the Fire Service and the Emergency Medical Services. But this is the tip of a much wider support base.
The range of job opportunities open to you in the emergency services is vast, from being a dog handler for the police to driving an ambulance or working as a firefighter. There are many opportunities for both school leavers and graduates in the emergency services and prospects for training and progression are good. Many roles require shift work, as emergencies can happen at any time.
Employment is usually on a local basis, so you’ll need to find out about specific job opportunities from the relevant organisation in the area where you hope to work. In recent years, there has been a trend towards recruiting graduates in some areas of the emergency services, and in some a degree is now required, so it has become increasingly common to study an approved course at university before starting work.
Always considered as essential workers, and undergoing a highly professional and rigorous training regime, these services have always been seen as an excellent, if demanding, career choice, with plenty of chances for advancement.
There are around 132,000 full time police officers in the UK, 32,000 fire personnel and around 29,000 qualified paramedics and ambulance staff. There are also a number of different roles available ranging from ambulance technicians, coastguards and emergency planners to forensic scientists and photographers, media relations and scenes of crime officers.
There are plenty of opportunities within all three emergency services for anyone with the drive, commitment and ability to carve out a progressive, long and successful career for themselves.
Featured opportunities:
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