EMS Corps is a national workforce development program that helps address the shortage of emergency medical services workers while creating career pathways for young people who face barriers to employment. Powered by Public Works Alliance, a social justice nonprofit focused on strengthening public systems, the program aims to shift power and agency toward the communities those systems serve.

Its five-month, cohort-based model combines rigorous EMT training—more than twice the hours of a standard EMT program—with job readiness and career exposure. Participants also receive counseling, coaching, mentorship, a monthly stipend, and job placement support. Cohorts generally include 20 people aged 18 to 26, with pathways into EMS, allied health, and fire services.

EMS Corps works with local governments and community partners to establish and support sites, build local capacity, train teams, and sustain the program model under local leadership. Its locations and expansion efforts span California and other states, including New Mexico, Louisiana, and New Jersey.