Current Australian job opportunities for Certificate III, Certificate IV and Diploma-qualified emergency healthcare workers
If you’re considering a career in emergency healthcare, one of the most important questions is simple:
What jobs can I actually get with an APC qualification?
Rather than relying on generic career descriptions, Australian Paramedical College regularly reviews the Australian employment market to see what employers are actually recruiting for.
Our September 2026 review found current opportunities across patient transport, ambulance transport, event medical, emergency services, medical emergency services, industrial medicine and mining.
We have deliberately excluded registered paramedic positions where an APC vocational qualification alone does not meet the employer’s requirements.
The result is a more realistic picture of where qualifications such as the HLT31120 Certificate III in Non-Emergency Patient Transport, HLT41120 Certificate IV in Health Care and HLT51020 Diploma of Emergency Health Care can lead.
Employment snapshot last reviewed: 1 September 2026
Current emergency healthcare jobs across Australia
The table below brings together current vacancies identified during our September 2026 review.
Because job advertisements can close or change at short notice, always check the employer’s current advertisement and qualification requirements before applying.
Qualification key
🟢 Direct match – the employer specifically names the qualification or an equivalent qualification.
🔵 Strongly aligned – the qualification is relevant to the occupation, but the employer may require additional qualifications or experience.
⚪ Related opportunity – the role is within the broader emergency healthcare industry but should not be treated as a guaranteed employment outcome of an APC qualification.
| State | Current job | Employer | Location | Relevant APC qualification | Match |
| QLD | Patient Transport Officer | Belbaker Patient Transport | Brisbane | HLT31120 Cert III NEPT | 🟢 |
| QLD | Emergency Services Officer | ER24 Australia | Brisbane / remote | HLT41120 / HLT51020 | 🔵 |
| QLD | Sport & Event First Aider | Assist First Aid | Sunshine Coast, Gympie, Brisbane & Gold Coast | Cert IV / Diploma / first responder | 🔵 |
| QLD | Sports & Event Medics | Sports & Event Medics | QLD & Northern NSW | Cert IV / Diploma | 🔵 |
| QLD | Event Medical Services | QEMS | South East QLD | Cert IV / Diploma / medic qualifications | 🔵 |
| NSW | Patient Transport Officer – Casual | State Medical Assistance | Sydney / Minchinbury | HLT31120 / relevant patient transport | 🟢 |
| NSW | Paramedic – Non-Emergency Patient Transport | State Medical Assistance | Sydney | Diploma / paramedic qualification | 🔵 |
| NSW | Patient Transport and Event Staff | Medical Edge Australia | Sydney / Revesby | Cert IV / Diploma / healthcare | 🔵 |
| NSW | Patient Transport Officer | Western NSW Local Health District | Orange / Bathurst / Lachlan | Cert III NEPT / equivalent | 🟢 |
| NSW | Sports & Event Medics | Sports & Event Medics | Northern Rivers NSW | Cert IV / Diploma | 🔵 |
| NSW | Patient Transport | AirMed | Wagga Wagga | HLT31120 Cert III NEPT | 🟢 |
| NSW | Patient Transport / Event Medical roles | Ambulance Service Australia | NSW | Cert III / Cert IV / Diploma | 🔵 |
| NSW | Patient transport and event medical roles | Medical Edge Australia | NSW | Cert III / Cert IV / Diploma | 🔵 |
| VIC | Ambulance Attendant – Gippsland | Ambulance Victoria | Gippsland | HLT51020 Diploma | 🟢 |
| VIC | Clinic Transport Officer | Ambulance Victoria | Melbourne | HLT31120 / HLT51020 | 🟢 |
| VIC | ATA / PTO | Ambulance Victoria | Loddon Mallee | HLT31120 / HLT51020 | 🟢 |
| VIC | Ambulance Transport Attendant | Royal Flying Doctor Service | Melbourne | Diploma / equivalent | 🟢 |
| VIC | Ambulance Transport Attendant | Royal Flying Doctor Service | Bendigo | Diploma / equivalent | 🟢 |
| VIC | Ambulance Transport Attendant | Royal Flying Doctor Service | Bairnsdale | Diploma / equivalent | 🟢 |
| VIC | Ambulance Transport Attendant | Royal Flying Doctor Service | Horsham / Stawell | Cert III NEPT / equivalent | 🟢 |
| VIC | Patient Transport Officer | Royal Flying Doctor Service | Melbourne | HLT31120 Cert III NEPT | 🟢 |
| VIC | Patient Transport Officer – Graduate | Royal Flying Doctor Service | Melbourne | HLT31120 Cert III NEPT | 🟢 |
| VIC | Ambulance Transport Attendant | National Patient Transport | Mildura | Diploma / relevant qualification | 🟢 |
| VIC | Ambulance Transport Attendant | National Patient Transport | Shepparton | Diploma / relevant qualification | 🟢 |
| VIC | Ambulance Transport Attendant | National Patient Transport | Wangaratta | Diploma / relevant qualification | 🟢 |
| VIC | Patient Transport Officer | National Patient Transport | Regional Victoria | Cert III / Diploma | 🔵 |
| VIC | Ambulance Attendant – NEPT | Medical Edge Australia | Melbourne | Cert III / Cert IV / Diploma | 🔵 |
| SA | Emergency Services Officer / Medical Emergency Services Officer | Emergency Service Group | Adelaide / SA resource sites | Cert IV Health Care for MESO | 🟢 |
| SA | Ambulance Wish SA Coordinator | Palliative Care SA | Adelaide | Cert III NEPT / equivalent | 🟢 |
| SA | Patient transport opportunities | Private patient transport providers | Adelaide | Cert III NEPT | 🔵 |
| SA | Event medical opportunities | Private event medical providers | Adelaide / SA | Cert IV / Diploma | 🔵 |
| SA | Emergency response / MESO opportunities | Resource employers | SA | Cert IV / Diploma | 🔵 |
| WA | Medical Emergency Services Officer | Greatland Resources | WA | Cert IV Health Care / higher | 🟢 |
| WA | Medical & Emergency Services Officer | Karara Mining | WA | Cert IV Health Care | 🟢 |
| WA | Emergency Services Officer | Gold Fields | WA | Cert IV Health Care; Diploma desirable | 🟢 |
| WA | Emergency Services Officer | Mineral Resources | WA | Cert IV / Diploma | 🟢 |
| WA | Medical Emergency Services Officer | Executive Risk Solutions / emergency response contractors | WA | Cert IV Health Care or higher | 🟢 |
| WA | Medical Emergency Services Officer | HSET Global | WA / Kalgoorlie | Cert IV Health Care or above | 🟢 |
| WA | Medical Emergency Services Officer | InCover Solutions | WA FIFO | Cert IV Health Care or higher | 🟢 |
| WA | Emergency Services Officer | Mining / emergency response employers | Kalgoorlie & regional WA | Cert IV Health Care or equivalent | 🟢 |
| WA | Patient Transport Officer | Wilson Medic One | Perth | Cert III NEPT / relevant qualification | 🔵 |
| WA | Community Patient Transport Officer | Wilson Medic One | Perth | Cert III NEPT / relevant healthcare | 🔵 |
| WA | Event Medical / First Aid First Responder | Red Medical | Perth | First responder / healthcare qualification | 🔵 |
| WA | Event Medic opportunities | Event medical providers | Perth / WA | Cert IV / Diploma | 🔵 |
| TAS | Patient Transport Officer | Ambulance Tasmania | Tasmania | Cert III NEPT | 🟢 |
| TAS | Medical Support Officer – Non-Emergency Patient Transport | Moreton Group | Tasmania | Cert III / healthcare qualification | 🔵 |
| ACT | Patient Transport Officer | ACT Ambulance Service | Canberra | Cert III NEPT | 🔵 |
| NT | Emergency Services Officer / Paramedic | Hays / Resources & Mining | Darwin / remote | Paramedic / advanced emergency qualification | ⚪ |
What the current jobs market tells us
There are three particularly clear employment pathways emerging from this month’s research.
1. Patient transport is a genuine entry point into healthcare
For people who want to enter healthcare without committing immediately to a university degree, non-emergency patient transport is one of the clearest vocational pathways.
The HLT31120 Certificate III in Non-Emergency Patient Transport is specifically designed for Patient Transport Officer work.
Current recruitment demonstrates this in several states.
In Victoria, the Royal Flying Doctor Service is actively recruiting recent Certificate III graduates into Patient Transport Officer roles. Its graduate advertisement specifically asks for people who have completed the HLT31120 within the previous 18 months.
In Queensland, Belbaker Patient Transport is currently advertising Patient Transport Officer positions in Brisbane at $41–$62 per hour.
In New South Wales, State Medical Assistance is recruiting Patient Transport Officers in Sydney, while Western NSW Local Health District currently has a Patient Transport Officer position covering Orange, Bathurst and Lachlan at $34.49 per hour plus superannuation and salary packaging.
Western Australia also has current Patient Transport Officer recruitment through Wilson Medic One.
This is exactly the type of employment pathway the Certificate III was designed to support.
2. Event medical work exists across multiple states
Event medical is another employment pathway with an abundance of roles available across Australia.
Event medical providers operate at:
- Sporting events
- Festivals
- Concerts
- Motorsport
- Community events
- School events
- Corporate events
- Large public gatherings
Current APC job-board opportunities include event medical and first responder work across Queensland and Northern NSW, while current SEEK results include Medical Edge’s patient transport and event staff recruitment in Sydney and Red Medical‘s event medical recruitment in Perth.
In Queensland, QEMS operates a dedicated event medical service across South East Queensland, using medics, paramedics, nurses and doctors depending on the event requirements.
The important point is that event medical requirements vary significantly by employer and role.
A first responder position may have different requirements from a senior event medic role. Some employers accept appropriately qualified students or first responders, while higher-level roles may require a Certificate IV, Diploma, paramedic registration or nursing qualification.
3. Mining and emergency response create another major employment market
The current Western Australian market demonstrates particularly strong demand for emergency healthcare workers in mining and resources.
Current recruitment includes Medical Emergency Services Officer and Emergency Services Officer roles with employers and contractors including:
- Greatland Resources
- Karara Mining
- Gold Fields
- Mineral Resources
- HSET Global
- InCover Solutions
- Other emergency response contractors
These roles can combine:
- Emergency medical response
- Workplace first aid
- Rescue
- Emergency preparedness
- Emergency response training
- Medical assessments
- Site safety
- Remote healthcare
- Emergency management
However, there is an important distinction.
A Certificate IV or Diploma in Health Care may be the healthcare qualification, but mining employers frequently require additional qualifications such as Mine Emergency Response and Rescue, driver’s licences, drug and alcohol testing qualifications, working at heights, confined space and other site-specific competencies.
For example, Karara Mining’s current Medical & Emergency Services Officer position requires a Certificate IV in Health Care alongside Mine Emergency Response and Rescue and other requirements.
InCover Solutions similarly requires Certificate IV Health Care or higher, together with emergency response and rescue competencies and other site requirements.
HSET Global is currently recruiting FIFO MESOs in Western Australia and specifies Certificate IV Health Care (Ambulance) or above, alongside emergency response and rescue qualifications.
What jobs can you get with a Certificate III in Non-Emergency Patient Transport?
The HLT31120 Certificate III in Non-Emergency Patient Transport is designed specifically around the role of a Patient Transport Officer.
Potential employment outcomes include:
- Patient Transport Officer
- Patient Transport Attendant
- Non-Emergency Patient Transport Officer
- Community Patient Transport Officer
- Ambulance Transport roles, depending on jurisdiction and employer requirements
Current recruitment supports this pathway across multiple states.
What jobs can you get with a Certificate IV in Health Care?
The HLT41120 Certificate IV in Health Care provides a broader emergency healthcare pathway.
Depending on the employer, experience and additional qualifications, career opportunities can include:
- Basic Life Support Medic
- Event Medic
- First Responder
- Industrial Medic
- Emergency Services Officer
- Medical Emergency Services Officer
- Emergency response roles
- Patient transport and related healthcare roles
The Certificate IV as a nationally recognised qualification that can qualify graduates to work as a Basic Life Support Medic, across Event Medical, Patient Transport, and Emergency Services, and provide a pathway into the Diploma.
The current employment market demonstrates that Certificate IV Health Care is also specifically requested by employers for MESO and Emergency Services Officer positions.
For example:
- Karara Mining requires Certificate IV Health Care for its Medical & Emergency Services Officer position.
- InCover Solutions requires Certificate IV Health Care or higher.
- HSET Global requires Certificate IV Health Care or above for its FIFO MESO positions.
- Emergency Service Group’s current South Australian recruitment specifically identifies Certificate IV Health Care as the requirement for its MESO positions.
What jobs can you get with a Diploma of Emergency Health Care?
The HLT51020 Diploma of Emergency Health Care provides a higher-level vocational pathway into pre-hospital and emergency healthcare.
Potential employment pathways include:
- Ambulance Transport Attendant
- Ambulance Officer
- Senior Medic
- Event Medic
- Emergency Services Officer
- Medical Emergency Services Officer
- Industrial Medic
- Patient transport
- Other private-sector emergency healthcare roles
The Diploma is particularly relevant to ambulance transport and emergency response work.
Current Ambulance Victoria recruitment, for example, includes Ambulance Attendant opportunities where the HLT51020 Diploma is an accepted qualification.
National Patient Transport is also currently recruiting Patient Transport Officers and Ambulance Attendants across regional Victoria, with advertised rates of $32.05–$45.31 per hour.
APC’s Diploma includes two five-day clinical workshops and 160 hours of clinical placement, providing students with practical experience in real healthcare environments. Many students receive employment opportunities through their placement experiences.
Ambulance Transport Attendant jobs are a significant opportunity
One of the clearest examples of vocational emergency healthcare training translating into employment is Ambulance Transport Attendant work.
The role involves transporting patients who require clinical care but do not require an emergency ambulance response.
Current recruitment demonstrates opportunities in Victoria with organisations including:
National Patient Transport’s current regional Victorian recruitment includes both Patient Transport Officer and Ambulance Attendant positions, with flexible casual, part-time and full-time arrangements.
The exact qualification requirements vary according to the employer and jurisdiction, so applicants should always check the current advertisement.
South Australia is also showing opportunities
South Australia is sometimes overlooked when people research emergency healthcare careers.
Current recruitment includes Emergency Services Officer and Medical Emergency Services Officer positions with Emergency Service Group.
Its current advertisement offers $60–$75 per hour for casual ESO/MESO work at South Australian resource sites and specifically states that Certificate IV Health Care is required for the MESO position.
There are also opportunities outside traditional emergency response.
Palliative Care SA is currently recruiting an Ambulance Wish SA Coordinator in Adelaide and specifically lists experience as an Ambulance Transport Officer or Patient Transport Officer and Certificate III in Non-Emergency Patient Transport or equivalent among its essential requirements.
South Australia also has an established event medical sector. SA Ambulance Service itself notes that private medical providers play an important role in providing event medical and first aid services across the state.
Queensland has opportunities beyond traditional ambulance work
Queensland’s current market includes patient transport, emergency response and event medical opportunities.
Belbaker Patient Transport is currently advertising Patient Transport Officer positions in Brisbane at $41–$62 per hour.
Queensland also has a significant event medical sector.
QEMS provides event medical services across South East Queensland, with medical teams including medics, paramedics, nurses and doctors depending on the requirements of the event.
APC’s job board also currently lists Sport & Event First Aider opportunities across the Sunshine Coast, Gympie, Brisbane and Gold Coast, as well as Sports & Event Medic opportunities across Queensland and Northern NSW.
This demonstrates that emergency healthcare employment is not limited to ambulance services.
However, Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS), also reguarly recruits for Patient Transport Officers as part of their non-urgent transport capability.
New South Wales has a broad patient transport and event medical market
NSW currently has opportunities across private patient transport, public health and event medical services.
State Medical Assistance is currently recruiting Patient Transport Officers in Sydney.
Western NSW Local Health District currently has a Patient Transport Officer vacancy covering Orange, Bathurst and Lachlan, with a listed rate of $34.49 per hour plus superannuation and salary packaging options.
Medical Edge Australia is also currently recruiting Patient Transport and Event Staff in Sydney, combining two operational areas within the same employer.
This is a useful illustration of how the same emergency healthcare qualification can potentially open different types of work.
What about registered paramedic jobs?
This distinction is extremely important.
An APC Certificate III, Certificate IV or Diploma does not make someone a registered paramedic.
Since 2018, to become a Registered Paramedic in Australia, you must gain an approved higher education qualification and registration through AHPRA.
For that reason, we have not counted registered paramedic vacancies as direct APC employment outcomes.
Does an APC qualification guarantee a job?
No.
No responsible education provider should promise that completing a qualification automatically guarantees employment.
Individual employers can have additional requirements including:
- Previous industry experience
- Driver’s licence
- Medical clearance
- Police checks
- Working with Children Checks
- Rescue qualifications
- Mine emergency response qualifications
- Working at heights
- Confined space
- Drug and alcohol testing qualifications
- Additional first aid or clinical credentials
- Employer-specific training
What the current employment market does demonstrate is that APC qualifications are relevant to real jobs currently being advertised across Australia.
The employment pathways at a glance
| APC qualification | Potential employment pathways |
| HLT31120 Certificate III in Non-Emergency Patient Transport | Patient Transport Officer, Patient Transport Attendant, Community Patient Transport Officer and related non-emergency transport roles |
| HLT41120 Certificate IV in Health Care | Basic Life Support Medic, Event Medic, First Responder, Industrial Medic, Emergency Services Officer, Medical Emergency Services Officer and related emergency response roles |
| HLT51020 Diploma of Emergency Health Care | Ambulance Transport Attendant, Ambulance Officer, Senior Medic, Event Medic, Emergency Services Officer, Medical Emergency Services Officer, Industrial Medic and other advanced emergency healthcare roles |
The actual role available to an individual will depend on the employer, state, experience and any additional qualifications required.
Your qualification is a starting point, not the destination
One of the biggest misconceptions about vocational emergency healthcare training is that there is only one career path.
There isn’t.
You might start in:
Patient Transport
and move into:
Emergency Healthcare
then:
Event Medical
or:
Industrial / Mining Emergency Response
or continue your education towards:
Paramedicine or another healthcare profession.
The qualification you choose should therefore match the type of work you want to do now, as well as where you want your career to go next.
Explore APC’s emergency healthcare courses
HLT31120 – Certificate III in Non-Emergency Patient Transport
The entry point for people wanting to become a Patient Transport Officer and start a career in healthcare.
Explore the Certificate III in Non-Emergency Patient Transport
HLT41120 – Certificate IV in Health Care
Build practical pre-hospital healthcare skills for pathways including medic, first responder, event medical and emergency services work.
Explore the Certificate IV in Health Care
HLT51020 – Diploma of Emergency Health Care
Develop higher-level emergency healthcare skills for pre-hospital and out-of-hospital healthcare environments.
Explore the Diploma of Emergency Health Care
Frequently asked questions
What jobs can I get with a Certificate III in Non-Emergency Patient Transport?
The HLT31120 Certificate III is specifically designed for Patient Transport Officer work. Current employers across Australia are recruiting for patient transport positions, including RFDS Victoria, State Medical Assistance, Western NSW Local Health District, Wilson Medic One and private patient transport providers.
What jobs can I get with a Certificate IV in Health Care?
Depending on the employer and additional requirements, the HLT41120 Certificate IV can support pathways into roles such as Basic Life Support Medic, Event Medic, First Responder, Industrial Medic, Emergency Services Officer and Medical Emergency Services Officer. Current Australian vacancies demonstrate employers specifically asking for Certificate IV Health Care for MESO and emergency response roles.
Can I work as an Ambulance Transport Attendant with the Diploma?
The HLT51020 Diploma is relevant to Ambulance Transport Attendant roles, particularly in Victoria, where current Ambulance Victoria and private-sector recruitment identifies Diploma-level emergency healthcare qualifications among accepted pathways. Additional requirements such as supervised clinical practice and a driver’s licence may apply.
Can I work as an Event Medic?
Yes. Event medical employers have different qualification requirements depending on the level of responsibility and scope of the role. Current recruitment includes event medical and first responder opportunities across Queensland, NSW and WA.
Can I work in mining with a Certificate IV?
Yes, Certificate IV Health Care is specifically required or accepted for a number of Emergency Services Officer and Medical Emergency Services Officer positions in mining and resources. However, mining employers commonly require additional emergency response, rescue, driver’s licence and site-specific qualifications.
Can I become a registered paramedic with the Diploma?
The HLT51020 Diploma of Emergency Health Care is not a substitute for the approved university qualification required for registration as a paramedic in Australia.
The Diploma can, however, provide a foundation for further study and career development in emergency healthcare.
Are these jobs available across Australia?
Yes. Our September review identified relevant opportunities across Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania and the ACT, with the strongest concentrations currently appearing in patient transport, event medical and emergency response.
How often will this jobs list be updated?
Australian Paramedical College intends to update this often.
Vacancies change frequently, so positions may close before the next edition. New positions may also appear during the month.
For that reason, this report should be viewed as a snapshot of the Australian emergency healthcare employment market, not a permanent list of vacancies.
September 2026 employment snapshot
The biggest takeaway from this month’s research is simple:
There are real employment opportunities for vocationally qualified emergency healthcare workers across Australia.
The opportunities are not limited to one industry or one state.
They include:
Patient transport.
Ambulance transport.
Event medical.
Emergency response.
Industrial medicine.
Mining and resources.
Medical emergency services.
And for many people, these roles can be the beginning of a much longer healthcare career.
Australian Paramedical College | RTO 32513
Job vacancies and qualification requirements can change without notice. Always confirm current requirements directly with the employer before applying.
