St. Paul will pay 40 young people to take a 10-week emergency medical technician certification program, as a way to broaden the pool of firefighter applicants with more minorities and women.

“We have a fire department in St. Paul that is second to none, and we want to make sure that the professionals who make up our department reflect our diverse community. People often express a desire to join their ranks, but in this economy, few people can afford to quit their jobs and pay for training,” Mayor Chris Coleman said. “This pilot project is a stepping stone that gives participants a leg up by offering a paid training that will provide valuable skills and lead to EMT certification.”

The goal is to provide opportunities for young adults between the ages of 18 and 24 to learn job skills and qualify them to take the firefighter test in St. Paul.

The program -- a collaboration among St. Paul, Ramsey County, and Inver Hills and Century community colleges -- will pay students $7.50 an hour to take the classes three days a week. They'll be paid based on attendance and participation, up to 25 hours each week.

Those who successfully complete the training will receive a certificate in Emergency Medical Services and qualify to take the EMT certification exam.

Financial support for this initiative came from The St. Paul Foundation, F.R. Bigelow Foundation, Greater Twin Cites United Way, and The Otto Bremer Foundation as well as Allina Medical Transport, Fire Fighters United of St. Paul, the Fire Supervisors Association and the St. Paul NAACP. In addition, St. Paul City Council Members Melvin Carter III, Pat Harris, Kathy Lantry and Russ Stark each designated money from their offices.