Philip Reed is off to a successful start working in the emergency medicine field after graduating from Job Corps in 2010. Reed, a graduate of the Edison Job Corps Center’s Emergency Medical Technician program, was hired to be an EMT in New York City by a leading medical transportation provider immediately after completing his training.

 Reed’s employer, American Medical Response, has joined efforts with Job Corps to align its EMT training with industry standards, and to provide students with exciting career opportunities all across the country as soon as they graduate.

 “Job Corps students are more prepared to hit the ground running at work than most of our otherapplicants,” Krista Pickering, an AMR human resources representative, said. “They know exactly what AMR is looking for, and they possess really great qualities even before they arrive at our doorstep.”

 Reed’s work with AMR as an EMT has allowed him to practice a variety of emergency medicine skills. Whether he’s in the dispatch center taking 911 calls or in the back of an ambulance caring for a patient, Reed is constantly learning and growing in his profession.

 “I really enjoyed all of the hands-on training we got at Job Corps,” Reed said. “It helped me get where I am now, and that training is continuing here at AMR. I am learning even more about the health care industry every day.”

 Reed’s success is the result of many years of hard work and a passion for helping others. A recent U.S. immigrant, Reed came to this country in 2008 to enroll in Job Corps—a move that he hoped would help him build a solid future for himself and his family. Prior to entering the EMT program at Edison, Reed completed Homeland Security training at the Brooklyn Job Corps Center. “Before Job Corps, I basically didn’t have a life,” Reed said. “Back home, I would never have dreamed I could have done something as great as become an emergency medical technician, but Job Corps got me where I am today.” Reed plans to continue his education by someday training to become a paramedic.