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Emergency ambulance driver

Also called ECA, ambulance technician, assistant in emergency care

Emergency ambulance drivers use emergency vehicles to respond to medical emergencies and support the work of paramedics, move patients safely, take note of changes in the patient's vital signs and report to the paramedics in charge, ensuring the medical equipment is well stored, transported and functional, under supervision and on order of a doctor of medicine.

Will there be jobs?Yes, good prospects41 jobs to fill by 2035 for every 100 people doing this work today.Health associate professionalsWhat does it pay?About averageFrom about €1,500 (Bulgaria) to €8,200 (Luxembourg) a month, depending on the country.Estimate · Health associate professionalsWhat do I need to study?Usually post-secondary or a short degree4 in 10 have a degree. 3 in 10 train through vocational routes.Health associate professionalsWill AI change it?Very littleLevel 1 of 6. AI could take on part of some tasks, but none fully.Ambulance workers · ILO

What you'd do

Ambulance workers · ILO
  • Assessing health status of persons involved in accidents, natural disasters and other emergency situations, and determining needs for immediate and specialized medical assistance
  • Performing medical procedures and administering drugs and other therapies according to protocol for emergency medical treatment, including resuscitating and defibrillating patients and operating life-support equipment
  • Monitoring changes in health status of patients during transport to and from medical, rehabilitation and other health care facilities
  • Providing information and training to community groups and essential service workers in first aid for initial care of an illness or injury
  • Attending and/or patrolling large-scale public gatherings and other events where health emergencies are more likely to occur
  • Recording information on patients' conditions and treatments provided in medical records-keeping systems
Empathise with the healthcare userCommunicate in healthcareComply with legislation related to health careComply with quality standards related to healthcare practiceWrite reports on emergency cases+ 16 more essential skills
What the work is like
  • Indoors and outdoors
  • A mix of sitting and standing
  • Constant contact with people, including the public
  • Good freedom to decide
  • Often more than 40 hours a week
  • Deadlines most weeks
  • Some repetitive tasks
US data: based on the O*NET profile of the US job "Ambulance Drivers and Attendants, Except Emergency Medical Technicians"

Will there be jobs?

Yes, good prospects

Many jobs will need filling by 2035.

People working as health associate professionals in the EU
6.04m6.64m7.71m 201520232035

Solid: measured. Dashed: forecast.

Jobs to fill, 2026–2035
921,000 new jobs 1,847,000 replacing leavers
Jobs to fill per 100 people working now
Health associate professionals41
All jobs29
Right now
8 of 27 countries report a shortage of ambulance workers, 1 a surplus.
Ambulance workers · EURES

What does it pay?

About average

Pay depends a lot on the country: from about €1,500 a month (Bulgaria) to €8,200 (Luxembourg), before tax.

Pick a country at the top of the page to see typical pay there, for people under 30, and compared with all jobs.

Among technicians and associate professionals in the EU, women earn 16% less per hour than men. Technicians and associate professionals · Eurostat

What do I need to study?

Usually post-secondary or a short degree

Post-secondary training or a short degree in nursing and midwifery is the usual route.

Highest qualification of health associate professionals (EU, 2025)
Degree 37%Vocational 49%General secondary 6%Basic schooling 8%
Fields that teach it
Nursing and midwifery · Medical diagnostic and treatment technology
Vocational route, EU
3 in 10 trainees in this field
Health and welfare graduates in a matching job
81% in the EU

946 institutions in the EU offer health and welfare bachelor's degrees. Pick a country at the top of the page to see where to study and the official course finders.

Will AI change it?

Very little

AI could take on part of some tasks, but none fully.

How exposed is this job? ILO scale
Very low
Low
Some tasks
Moderate
Significant
High

Average task score 0.22 on a scale from 0 (AI can't do it) to 1 (AI could do it fully).

See the score for each of the 6 tasks
Recording information on patients' conditions and treatments provided in medical records-keeping systems0.55
Monitoring changes in health status of patients during transport to and from medical, rehabilitation and other health care facilities0.23
Attending and/or patrolling large-scale public gatherings and other events where health emergencies are more likely to occur0.20
Providing information and training to community groups and essential service workers in first aid for initial care of an illness or injury0.13
Assessing health status of persons involved in accidents, natural disasters and other emergency situations, and determining needs for immediate and specialized medical assistance0.12
Performing medical procedures and administering drugs and other therapies according to protocol for emergency medical treatment, including resuscitating and defibrillating patients and operating life-support equipment0.06

Based on what AI could technically do when assessed in 2025. It is not a forecast for a future year, and not a forecast of job losses. Scores for ambulance workers. Source: ILO (2025), adapted (credits).