News

The VAU is pleased to announce a new membership category available to members from today – Postgraduate Pre-Employment Paramedic. Every year, paramedic students complete their university studies and are unable to find employment as a paramedic. While many gain employment in other parts of the ambulance industry, many do not and are forced to find work outside the ambulance industry.

This makes paramedic registration difficult and pre-employment paramedics are required to source their own paramedic CPD and professional Indemnity Insurance (PII).

From today, Postgraduate Pre-employment paramedics can join the VAU under the new membership category provided that:

• You have completed your paramedic qualification.
• You are seeking employment as a paramedic in Victoria.
• You are not otherwise employed in the ambulance industry. Members must be enrolled in the correct membership classification relevant to your employment (e.g. a person working as a Patient Transport Officer must join the VAU under the PTO category). Remember that all membership categories can access PII.

Postgraduate Pre-Employment Paramedic members will have access to all member benefits including:

• Professional Indemnity Insurance that meets AHPRA requirements.
• Continuing Professional Development through ParaEd which gives members:
  • Paramedic specific online learning content.
  • CPD tracker to help meet AHPRA registration requirements.
  • 10-12 live webinars per year.
• Access to VAU interview coaching seminars.
• Free legal referral for non-employment matters.

Industrial and AHPRA representation

It is important to be aware that most assistance the union provides to members in matters relating to your professional registration or responding to AHPRA notifications is provided by the VAU legal team. We have provided advice and assistance to approximately fifteen members in the past year in AHPRA related matters which typically run in parallel with separate investigations and processes run by the employer. 

Industrial representation and support are only provided where members are enrolled in the correct membership classification relevant to your employment at the time an incident occurs.

If a Postgraduate Pre-employment Paramedic Member, becomes employed in the ambulance industry in Victoria including as a paramedic, patient transport or Triple Zero, you must upgrade their membership to the paramedic category in order to receive the relevant industrial and legal support.  

So please ensure that your membership is always up to date and you are in the correct category before you start in that position.