The first group of new Ambulance Victoria (AV) recruits for 2025/26 are hitting the road to help meet rising winter demand.
AV Chief Executive Officer Jordan Emery today welcomed 59 new graduate ambulance paramedics who are starting their careers with AV.
"Working as a paramedic is an extraordinarily unique experience. Very few jobs will have such a profound and deep impact on peoples' lives," Jordan said.
"Our paramedics, first responders, volunteers and support staff are our greatest strength. It is through them that we lead the way in patient care, including the nation's best cardiac arrest survival rates.
"We now have more than 5,500 on-road paramedics delivering the very best life-saving care, everywhere, and it's great to see more joining our ranks."
Last financial year, AV met its target to recruit 229 new graduate and qualified paramedics.
The first intake of new graduate paramedics this financial year started on 23 June 2025 and will hit the road on 21 July 2025.
Three-quarters of the new paramedics are on their way to regional Victoria. For their on-road training:
- 14 graduates will be placed in metropolitan Melbourne (located at branches in Bayside, Hastings, Richmond, Altona, Manor Lakes, Brimbank, Melton, Coolaroo (2), the Super Resource Centre North, Epping, Watsonia, Oak Park and Preston).
- 45 will be placed in regional Victoria, including:
- 2 in the Barwon South West Region (Hamilton)
- 10 in the Gippsland Region (Korumburra, Moe (2), Traralgon, Churchill, Morwell, Warragul (2), Drouin and Sale)
- 17 in the Hume Region (Wodonga (3), Benalla, Broadford, Kilmore, Cobram, Mooroopna, Numurkah, Shepparton (2), Yarrawonga (2), Mansfield (2) and Wangaratta (2))
- 11 in the Grampians Region (Ararat, Daylesford, Ballarat (2), Sebastopol (2), Wendouree (2) and Horsham (3))
- 5 in the Loddon Mallee Region (Kyabram, Swan Hill, Gisborne, Romsey and Woodend)
Jordan said the health system was extremely busy as seasonal illness circulates within our communities.
"Demand on our crews is increasing, as usual, at this time of year and will likely remain heightened in the coming months as cases of the flu and other respiratory viruses stay high," Jordan said.
"We always plan ahead to meet extra winter demand - and that's why we bring forward our first intake of new recruits for the financial year.
"As we hit the middle of winter, we also urge all Victorians to do their part to help reduce demand and ensure our highly skilled paramedics are available for the sickest patients.
"There are many options people can access when they need timely medical care and health advice but don't need an emergency ambulance, including the Victorian Virtual Emergency Department (VVED) and Urgent Care Centres."
Having completed their university degree, all new graduates start at AV with a comprehensive four-week induction and training program giving them the 'real world' skills they need to hit the road alongside experienced paramedics.
During this induction, recruits learn vital skills such as safely moving and loading patients to prevent injuries, aggression and assault prevention, and safely driving ambulance vehicles.
Jordan said Victoria has remained a leader in paramedic education since the introduction of Australia's first ambulance officers training course in 1961.
"Ambulance Victoria has some of the most highly trained and skilled paramedics in the world," Jordan said.
"These graduates will continue training and development throughout their entire careers to ensure patients receive the very best, and most up-to-date life-saving care - and stay safe while they are doing so.
"I truly wish them all the best for long and rewarding careers at Ambulance Victoria.
"We receive hundreds of applications from graduate and qualified paramedics in Victoria, interstate and internally every year, and we select the best and brightest as part of a highly competitive recruitment process."
