As an EMT, 26-year-old Ray works alongside a paramedic on an ambulance to respond to medical emergencies in and around central Manchester helping to provide treatment to patients in need.
A typical day as an EMT involves responding to a range of incidents, from elderly fallers to those involved in large scale road traffic collisions, where Ray’s job is to provide safe and effective pre-hospital care.
Ray says: “People know that as soon as you have that uniform on, they are able to look up to you as a symbol of help.”
Star of BBC One’s Ambulance, Ray was inspired to work for the ambulance service when he hurt himself as a child and a paramedic was called out to help him.
“The man that came for me, he scooped me up in his arms, carried me to the ambulance and I thought wow, this is what I want to do,” said Ray. “Prior to joining the ambulance service, I was doing a lot of volunteering with the British Red Cross. That then made me want to help people on a regular basis.
“In order to become an emergency medical technician, you need five GCSEs including Maths, English and Science. It’s important to be flexible and adaptable as the role that you will be coming into is ever changing and it is dynamic
“Being an EMT has taken me on many journeys and this has opened my eyes up to valuing not only my friends, my family, but also life in general.”
North West Ambulance Service is currently recruiting for emergency medical technician apprentices. Successful applicants will undergo a minimum 13 month apprenticeship scheme to gain a nationally recognised qualification whilst learning on the job.
Information about how to apply can be found at www.nwas.nhs.uk/careers
The series of films feature on the careers section of the BBC Bitesize website and also include people working in different roles within the ambulance service such as press officer, mechanic and air ambulance doctor.
Created by the production company behind BBC Ambulance, Dragonfly, the films aim to explain the world of work to young people with advice from real life case studies.