Hi guys and gals, going through shortlisting assessments for paramedic at the mo, only prob I need C1 before I start if I am offered job. Now prob do I do class C or C1 am 24years old but would need to defo pass, or job gone. Is there any company’s that still do C1 cant find many at all, am in north wales near border don’t mind traveling a bil as back and forth to bolton at the mo doing exams and tests.
Correct me if im wrong but you would be doing the C!! The C1 is for people under 21…
direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/Dr … DG_4022547
That site should give you the info…then its just finding a decent company…
stormnation:
The C1 is for people under 21…
You can do the C1 at any age over 18 however if you’re over 21 there’s little point.
If you passed your test before 1997 then you will already have C1 on your licence.
You can still go for C1 if you wish but as you are over 21 then C would be a more useful option for you.
Don’t the colleges still pay for Cat C or C1 within the paramedic training?
I have trained many trainee paramedics and it has always been funded by the college they were attending although I heard that this was changing and the licence had to be in hand before paramedic training started.
Although this was in London and they only needed C1 or C because London ambulances where heavier so came in overweight.
I understand I can do class c as over 21, but with c1 being smaller vehicle is the pass rate any higher
Mothertrucker:
If you passed your test before 1997 then you will already have C1 on your licence.
You can still go for C1 if you wish but as you are over 21 then C would be a more useful option for you.
Don’t the colleges still pay for Cat C or C1 within the paramedic training?
I have trained many trainee paramedics and it has always been funded by the college they were attending although I heard that this was changing and the licence had to be in hand before paramedic training started.
Although this was in London and they only needed C1 or C because London ambulances where heavier so came in overweight.
passed 2001 so only upto 3.5t. licence got to be in hand when starting training if offered job. doing physical exams 2moz passed psycometric exams last wednesday, still got interviews etc yet to get through, although they said prov c1 applicents would be considered, but would need to be done by time starting.
The test for C1 and Cat C is identical.
There is also very little difference - if any - in the actual size and bulk of the vehicles used in most cases.
mike97:
I understand I can do class c as over 21, but with c1 being smaller vehicle is the pass rate any higher
The company I trained with used a downplated (was 10t) cat. C vehicle for their C1 training so it wouldn’t have helped to only do the C1 
. However if you use a minimum spec. vehicle, which would basically be a large van, I suppose it would make it easier.
yeah just bit worried bout failing i suppose havn’t got hundreds of pounds stacked for loads retests, and also might be tight time frame depending on employer, gotta give months notice so got a bit to play with i suppose
We get quite a few post 1997 licence holders wanting C1 to be a paramedic. It is a requirement before they are accepted onto a course, and they have to fund the training themselves - seems ridiculous. The fact that it costs thousands to train a paramedic and they wont pay for them to do the C1 training.
Sorry we can’t help mike97, we are too far away from you. Our C1 is a nice size for paramedics to handle. I still find it hard to believe an ambulance weighs in at 4.6 tonne!
A lot of HGV schools I would have thought had a C1 vehicle. Some are massive cornflake wagons not much different from a C spec and others are just lardy transits vans.
I guess it would be easier to drive a minimum test specification C1 vehicle, if you can find someone running one that size for training then go for it.
Hi mike97
What a coincidence 
- I’ve just received an e-mail this morning from a trainee paramedic who I trained to get through the IAM advanced test a while ago and they are asking the same as you.
I’m hoping they will join this site - I’ve sent them the relevant link - they are from Leicester so keep an eye out - have sent them the link to this thread as well 