BEAUMONT, Texas — Acadian is offering classes for all levels of EMTs but what used to take months can now take just a couple of weeks.
Dozens of Southeast Texas EMTs are hitting the books. They're filling classrooms and learning the skills they need to become paramedics.
It's already a tough job and COVID-19 has only made it worse. It's forced Acadian Ambulance in Beaumont to offer accelerated training.
The emergency service industry has always seen high turnover, but COVID-19 has made things even worse.
A survey from the American Ambulance Association found that nearly a third of the workforce left their company after less than a year.
"We're competing against hospitals who need nurses, but they have the same problems, it's just healthcare in general, is not attracting the numbers it used to," said Acadian operations manager Eddie Burleigh.
Acadian expedited the training process for all levels of EMTs.
"it's just a great opportunity to take advantage of," said student Viviana Bealey.
Bealey is in class to become a paramedic it used to take more than a year now it's just six months.
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"We're just two weeks in right now, but it's so fast-paced, we're trying to fit 16 months into six months," Bealey said.
In the normal process, students work while taking the class. But with this accelerated program, the class is nine hours a day, five days a week.
"It is your full-time job going to class, so we pay these kids to go to class, an hourly wage, that is their full-time job," said teacher Rebecca Gallagher.
They’re getting paid to go to class.
"That's a big part of where I think their motivation comes from as well," Gallagher said.
Gallagher has been teaching since 2013.
"They're getting paid to be here, and it's just a lot quicker, it's a big commitment to sign up for a 14-month long program, it's less of a commitment to do a six-month program," Gallagher said.
Burleigh said the recruiting pitch is simple
"We're doing everything we can to encourage people to consider this career,” Burleigh said. “It's a great career, there’s none other like it, where you get to help people like this."
Burleigh said the accelerated program has already produced more than 40 employees in the past few months. Anyone interested in getting involved can visit becomeamedic.com