Nation's First Ever All-Female Class Graduates From AMR Rochester's EWYL Program
3.23.2022
The history-making class celebrated during Women’s History Month.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul, State Health Commissioner Dr. Mary T. Bassett and state legislators sent their congratulations and best wishes as American Medical Response (AMR) celebrated the company’s first all-female class of Earn While You Learn graduates. The 10 women graduated Wednesday morning in a ceremony held at the Rochester Educational and Opportunity Center. Elizabeth Morabito, Finger Lakes Regional Representative for Governor Hochul; Rich Tantalo, Monroe County Public Safety Director; and American Medical Response (AMR) leaders were on hand for the historic occasion.
The Governor and state legislators sent congratulatory citations, and Dr. Bassett appeared in a videotaped message to the graduates.
“I want to commend AMR for launching this award-winning program as a way to assist those wanting to become EMS professionals,” Dr. Bassett said. “Your innovative program is helping us rebuild our healthcare workforce and strengthening public health for the future.”
“What better way to celebrate Women’s History Month than with a history-making graduating class?” said Tim Frost, Regional Director for AMR. “This is the third group of Earn While You Learn graduates in Rochester, and we are thrilled to welcome these new EMTs to our team.”
Julia Fuqua, a new EMT for AMR Rochester, said she joined the Earn While You Learn program because she wanted to care for her community.
“I worked for a college before I joined AMR,” Fuqua said. “I wanted to do something more for my community, and when I saw that I could earn a full-time wage while going to school to become an EMT, I knew that was for me. I am excited to get out in the field and connect with patients and their families.”
AMR launched the award-winning program as a way to ease the financial transition for those wanting to become EMS professionals. The innovative program allows for paid on-the-job training while taking the necessary EMT certification courses. More than 1,000 EMTs have graduated from AMR’s Earn While You Learn program since its inception in 2018, and the program received a national honor from the American Ambulance Association in the Best Employee Programs category. There have been more than 144 Earn While You Learn programs across the country. The program has made a career in emergency medical services more accessible, ensuring that a candidate is financially stable while training. Diversity and inclusion are major underpinnings of the program and have helped the company recruit high numbers of women and people of color.
Related:
The Governor and state legislators sent congratulatory citations, and Dr. Bassett appeared in a videotaped message to the graduates.
“I want to commend AMR for launching this award-winning program as a way to assist those wanting to become EMS professionals,” Dr. Bassett said. “Your innovative program is helping us rebuild our healthcare workforce and strengthening public health for the future.”
“What better way to celebrate Women’s History Month than with a history-making graduating class?” said Tim Frost, Regional Director for AMR. “This is the third group of Earn While You Learn graduates in Rochester, and we are thrilled to welcome these new EMTs to our team.”
Julia Fuqua, a new EMT for AMR Rochester, said she joined the Earn While You Learn program because she wanted to care for her community.
“I worked for a college before I joined AMR,” Fuqua said. “I wanted to do something more for my community, and when I saw that I could earn a full-time wage while going to school to become an EMT, I knew that was for me. I am excited to get out in the field and connect with patients and their families.”
AMR launched the award-winning program as a way to ease the financial transition for those wanting to become EMS professionals. The innovative program allows for paid on-the-job training while taking the necessary EMT certification courses. More than 1,000 EMTs have graduated from AMR’s Earn While You Learn program since its inception in 2018, and the program received a national honor from the American Ambulance Association in the Best Employee Programs category. There have been more than 144 Earn While You Learn programs across the country. The program has made a career in emergency medical services more accessible, ensuring that a candidate is financially stable while training. Diversity and inclusion are major underpinnings of the program and have helped the company recruit high numbers of women and people of color.
Related:
- In this video message, New York Health Commissioner Dr. Mary T. Bassett, congratulates the female EMTs in Rochester.
- First All-Female Class with Rochester's AMR.
- Nation's First All-Female Class Graduates from AMR Program in Rochester
