How do I qualify as a First Aid Trainer?

The qualifications required to teach accredited first aid at work or emergency first aid awards and become a first aid instructor have changed over the last couple of years.  You can no longer teach accredited first aid at work awards with just a first aid trainer award, as this will not be accepted by any of the UK awarding bodies.

Teaching Qualification

First and foremost if you want to be a trainer you will need to have an entry-level teaching qualification. The PDLSG – Planning and Delivering Learning Sessions to Groups Award or the ETA – Level 3 Award in Education and Training qualification gives the teaching award accepted by all awarding bodies. This course is nationally accredited and by its conclusion will allow the successful candidate to teach any subject they have experience in.

First Aid at Work Qualification

Ok, so you now have a teaching qualification either PDLSG or ETA that proves your competence as a trainer. What’s next is to match it up with some relevant experience. The easiest way to do this is to obtain the Level 3 First Aid at Work or SCQF Level 6 First Aid at Work, but also you can do a CPD award. Holding the teaching qualification and current experience will allow you to teach the following courses:

• First Aid at Work
• Emergency First aid at Work
• Emergency Paediatric First Aid
• Paediatric First Aid
• AED 
• First Aid Essentials

It’s essential to have a current First Aid at Work (3 days) course before you attend the first aid trainer award.

Insurance

Trainers should take out public liability insurance in case a member of the public blames you for causing damage or injury. Alongside professional indemnity insurance in case a member of the public/client accuses you of making a mistake within your work. Both cost about £120 per year.

Equipment

You will need some basic first aid training equipment to be able to provide your own courses. The below list of equipment is everything you will need:

• Resus Annes (1 per 4). Can be purchased from St Johns Online
• AED Trainer Unit (1 per 4). Can be purchased on eBay or SP Services
• Projector for Powerpoint presentations

First Aid Trainer Courses with Teaching Award

If you don’t have a teaching award one of the cheapest 3 days courses from Abertay provide everything you need just click the link below to become a First Aid Trainer with includes the PDLSG teaching award

1. Teaching Qualification
2. Current First Aid at Work award (or current Nurse/Paramedic/FPOS Intermediate/Pool Lifeguard)
3. Insurance
4. Equipment

Accredited First Aid at Work Certifications

Once you have all the above, you then need to apply to one of the awarding bodies to apply to become an approved centre so that you can gain accredited first aid at work or emergency first aid certifications for the candidates you then teach. There are many awarding bodies out there but one of the most reasonable for costs is SafeCert Awards. They cost 295 for centre approval with for example emergency first aid certification at around 6 pounds each.