Charlotte County Rescue Squad has launched an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) registered apprenticeship program with four apprentices in the first cohort. Supported by the Expanding Talent through Registered Apprenticeship (ExTRA) program, this program will help the rescue squad develop skilled emergency medical professionals to meet the growing demand for EMS services in Southern Virginia.
The ExTRA program, led by the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR), helps Southern Virginia organizations create robust apprenticeship programs tailored to their unique workforce needs. ExTRA offers stakeholder education, technical assistance, grant funding and strategic connections to aid employers with successfully planning and implementing registered apprenticeship opportunities.
“EMS providers face ongoing challenges such as increased call volumes, staffing shortages and high burnout rates,” said Natori Neal, Apprenticeship Coordinator at IALR. “Efforts to establish registered apprenticeship programs, such as the one in Charlotte County, aim to help localities create sustainable pathways to train and retain critical EMS personnel.”
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Registered apprenticeship offers structured, employer-driven training combining paid on-the-job experience and related technical instruction (RTI). Apprentices gain practical skills and classroom knowledge while earning competitive wages and progressively increasing responsibilities.
IALR has supported several EMS apprenticeship programs across the Commonwealth. The Danville Life Saving Crew launched Virginia’s first EMT apprenticeship program in October 2023, registering 40 apprentices in four cohorts. Franklin County Public Safety established Virginia’s first Paramedic apprenticeship program in January 2024, with five registered apprentices in the first cohort.
“Expanding apprenticeship programs into sectors like EMS and healthcare helps address critical workforce gaps,” said Jessie Vernon, Director of Employer Engagement & Experiential Learning at IALR. “These apprenticeship opportunities offer employees pathways for career advancement while ensuring employers can maintain services.”
“Learning to navigate EMS in the present day is going to require us to think outside the box and do things that haven’t been done previously. The apprenticeship program is allowing us to do just that while meeting the unique needs of the community. Through this program, we have the ability to include on-the-job training that is mutually beneficial for a recruited individual as well as the rescue squad. We are able to tailor the training experience to directly benefit Charlotte County.” – Magen Bratton & Sally Pyle, Charlotte County Rescue Squad Supervisors
The ExTRA initiative is funded through a grant from the Virginia Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission and serves as a statewide model for how state-approved intermediaries like IALR can effectively help expand apprenticeship opportunities in both traditional industries and emerging fields such as construction, healthcare, technology and manufacturing. From 2022 to present, ExTRA has supported 34 apprenticeship programs across 27 employers in the region, leading to the registration of over 100 apprentices in those supported programs.
“Our goal is to continue growing employer-driven apprenticeship opportunities across all sectors in our region, providing robust support throughout their journey and fostering innovation in workforce development ” Neal added. “Charlotte County Rescue Squad’s EMT apprenticeship program demonstrates that registered apprenticeship is a versatile solution, not just in traditional fields, but in all areas where skilled professionals are urgently needed.”
For more information about registered apprenticeship or the ExTRA program, please contact Natori Neal at natori.neal@ialr.org or call 434-766-6657.
About IALR
The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research serves Virginia as a regional catalyst for economic transformation with applied research, advanced learning, manufacturing advancement, conference center services and economic development efforts. IALR’s major footprint focuses within Southern Virginia, including the counties of Patrick, Henry, Franklin, Pittsylvania, Halifax and Mecklenburg along with the cities of Martinsville and Danville.
