Two Ron Dearing UTC students hope to become Community First Responders after completing an advanced first aid course during their spare time.
Six Year 13 students achieved the Level 3 Certificate in First Response Emergency Care (FREC3) through training provider Source Solutions UK as part of the professional qualifications the UTC offers in addition to its main curriculum.
They learnt various life-saving skills, including CPR, how to treat burns, crush and spinal injuries, how to administer oxygen and use a defibrillator, and more.
Now, student Marcus Swaby, 18, has applied to become a Community First Responder in the East Riding and fellow student Isabella Acaster, 17, plans to do the same when she turns 18, which is the required age to take up the voluntary role.
Community First Responders aim to reach a potential life-threatening emergency in the first critical minutes before an ambulance crew arrives. They help to stabilise the patient and provide the appropriate care until the more highly skilled ambulance crew arrives to take over the treatment.
Marcus, who is also Chair of the Ron Dearing UTC Student Board and plans to go to university in September, said: “I absolutely loved the course. It was informative, the teaching was outstanding and the facilities were brilliant. If someone was unconscious in front of me, I feel equipped to save their life.
“I’ve applied to become a Community First Responder and I’m waiting to find out if I’ve been successful.
“Ron Dearing’s massive selling point is giving you the edge and nothing looks better on your CV than being first aid trained. You have the edge if you’re coming into the workplace with these skills.”
All six students have also completed the first aid at work course through Source Solutions UK, which enabled them to move onto the advanced qualification.
Isabella, who plans to begin a degree apprenticeship in September, said: “It was good to build on what we learnt on the first aid at work course and feel confident about stepping in if something to happened to someone.
“It has inspired me to help other people. You can use these skills in the real world and they could be really useful in the future.
“Ron Dearing UTC offers students so many opportunities and they’re there for the taking if you want them.”
Student Lewis Hudson, 18, who also completed the course, is a first aider and fire marshal at the MKM Stadium in Hull and recently offered assistance at the scene of a road traffic accident, while student Robert Kearton, 18, supported a fellow Ron Dearing student who fainted at school.
Fellow students Freya Ilyas and Amarni Welton, both 18, also successfully completed the course.
Lisa Regan, Assistant Principal – Horizons Professionalism, at Ron Dearing UTC, said: “We’re so proud of all the sixth form students who completed the course and delighted to know it inspired them to put their life-saving skills into action.
“We offer lots of additional qualifications and development opportunities to our students and this is just one excellent example of how these opportunities can add to their CVs and skills.”