Two new graduate paramedics are rolling out in Wonthaggi

TWO NEW highly skilled paramedics are ready to hit the road and start saving lives as part of the Wonthaggi Ambulance Victoria crew. 

Ebony Cordell and Tayla Manning began a month long induction at the station in August and in September the pair of graduates started rolling out, in medium acuity transport (MAT). 

They have been tending to a variety of cases including call outs for pain, falls and minor injuries, and are gaining familiarity with their new surrounds. 

Ebony recently moved to Cape Paterson from Warragul and is enjoying exploring the area and the nature trails. 

She enjoys having more time to spend with patients during longer trips and is getting back into the swing of studying and assessments after 18 months off, with her new colleagues helping with the transition. 

“Everyone’s been so nice, it’s a really good branch for learning. They have lots of graduates come through, so everyone’s really happy to get involved and help you out.”

Tayla has been doing the long commute between her home and friends in Cheltenham, her temporary home in Phillip Island and work in Wonthaggi, but she is enjoying the change of pace that country life has to offer. 

“It’s really good, completely different to Melbourne where it’s busy all the time and a bit chaotic. Where here it’s actually quite nice, relaxing.”

Before being placed at Wonthaggi both women had the chance to pursue other interests as there was a gap between finishing university and starting work. 

After graduating in 2021 from Monash University, Ebony worked in patient transport in Melbourne then spent six months living and working on a sheep and cattle station in Flinders Range, SA, where she got to pursue her love of animals and raised goats, pigs and sheep on the farm. 

“I’ve always wanted to do it, and I just thought I’d never get the chance.”

While Tayla graduated from Victoria University in St Albans in 2020 and pursued her love of football in the position of an AFLW/VFL Goal Umpire.  

“I ended up doing the AFLW Grand Final which was very exciting,” she said and hopes to be able to eventually balance her paramedics career with her umpiring career. 

The graduates have a roster of two days on, two days off, three days on and two days off, as opposed to a regular roster of four days on and four days off, which makes it a fine balancing act between work, study and leisure. 

However, Tayla is looking forward to the moment where she can do the job with self-assurance and with a feeling of certainty that she has chosen the right career path.   

“I feel like there’ll be a moment where you’re so confident and you feel like with all the information you’ve got, you go and do a really good job. Then you come out and go, I did it, and you can walk away with a really big smile on your face.”

Ebony is looking forward to the next rotation at the station, so she can get to know all of her colleagues better and to keep learning from them and gaining valuable skills and knowledge. 

“This is my third month on road and I’ve learned so many different things each month, from working with different people,” explained Ebony. 

“It’s pretty good job, pretty good area. I’m pretty happy with it.”