CLIENT CHALLANGE

In the wake of a nationwide EMT shortage, a healthcare organization sought a new approach to expand its workforce. With support from DoubleStar’s embedded consultant, they developed an apprenticeship model that blended employment, training, and education, all within the organization’s existing infrastructure. Instead of filling traditional EMT openings, the team reclassified a set of vacancies as paid apprentice positions. This strategy offered candidates a unique value proposition: a paid education, part-time employment with benefits, and a guaranteed full-time EMT role upon program completion and certification.

OUR APPROACH

ONE: Targeted Recruitment Campaigns

To generate interest, the consultant partnered with the Talent Intelligence team to create a multichannel outreach strategy:

• A dedicated “sourcing req” was created to capture and manage interest.
• Promotional materials, including social media graphics, flyers, and emails—were distributed both digitally and physically.
• Job postings were shared across seven career sites.
• The team also promoted the program at EMS conferences to reach qualified audiences directly.

TWO: Application & Screening Optimization

The first cohort received over 200 applicants for just six openings. To manage volume andimprove candidate alignment:

• A set of 15 detailed screening questions was added to the job application, helping to prequalify candidates based on their interest and readiness.
• These questions were tailored to the apprenticeship model and reviewed with legal for compliance.

THREE: A High-Touch, Transparent Process

Once an applicant passed the initial screen, the consultant sent detailed program information before scheduling a phone screen. This detailed information gave the candidates insight into what they could expect from the program. The calls then served as both a sales pitch and a behavioral screen—emphasizing motivation, readiness, and fit.

Every step of the process was designed to ensure candidates had a clear understanding ofvexpectations, reducing early attrition and improving engagement.

RESULTS

• Since late 2023, this program has been completed four (4) times, offers of employment were made for every available opening.
• The hired employees committed to working with HMH for two (2) years following licensure, significantly reducing turnover, and ensuring staffing stability.
• The program has become so effective that there will only be the need for four (4) openings for the next cycle vs. 6-8 in previous cycles.

CONCLUSION

This program demonstrates how strategic recruitment, clear communication, and rigorous screening can turn a staffing challenge into a long-term talent solution. The consultant’s ability to drive and sustain this effort earned strong praise from the program director, who shared:

“You did so much to keep this effort on track, screen candidates, and provide the team with the most qualified group possible—no way we could have done this without you! Thank you for helping all of us to launch this inaugural EMT Apprentice class!”

With a replicable process in place, the organization is now better equipped to meet ongoing EMT demand—building its future workforce from within.