Midland College has programs which allow high school students to receive firefighter and EMT training and earn certifications as part of a dual-credit program. Associate Professor Ryan Collier says students will get real training in this program, a collaborative effort between Midland Independent School District, Midland College and the city of Midland.
"They get the same training as our adult students. They also get the same certifications, which gets them ready for jobs in firefighting once they graduate high school," Collier said in a Midland College press release.
According to Midland ISD, over the course of their junior and senior years, students will get hands-on experience with firefighter and EMT training. This program started in 2021, and the first class just recently graduated, with two MISD students electing to work for the Midland Fire Department. Capt. Ryan Collier, who is both an associate professor at Midland College and active with the Midland Fire Department, said he was proud that the program is successful so far. He stated that “it shows a major goal for the program has been achieved” and hopes more students follow in those two’s footsteps.
In the press release, Midland Fire Department Chief Charles Blumenauer called the program a “win-win for the community,” saying that it helps the fire department get a larger pool of potential firefighters and allows high school students to get a good job directly out of school. The program teaches students a lot of different skills, as the Midland Fire Department requires all firefighters to be EMT certified.
Collier also noted that the program gives students non-technical skills as well, skills such as accountability, preparedness, and teamwork. He calls the department a “big family” and ends the article by noting that he wishes this program was around when he was in high school. He says, “I would have loved to have been able to begin my journey to becoming a firefighter at 16, even if it were just to explore it as a career.”