St John Academy setting Warnbro students up with life-saving skills and future health care careers

Open day visitors to Warnbro Community High School were given a hands-on look at how students learn life-saving skills with the St John Academy team.

Team members demonstrated CPR skills and took the public on ambulance tours, encouraging future high school students to join the Academy next year.

The weekly St John Academy program equips secondary school students with life-saving skills, creating a strong foundation for future healthcare careers.

Although the program at Warnbro is only for the school’s students, St John’s has Academy chapters across WA, including Rockingham and Morley.

Warnbro Community High School teacher and careers practitioner Ian Hamilton runs the program on behalf of St John and is a passionate volunteer.

“I love seeing all the young people grow in their confidence, their interactions and their ability to talk to each other,” she said.

“We have team members here who normally don’t communicate at school, but when we have chapter nights, they work together as a team.”

The skills they learn, such as first aid and leadership, prepare young people for life.

“Young people should attend St John’s Academy because the skills we teach them here are transferrable,” Mr Hamilton said.

“There are pathways into medical fields if they want to pursue it outside of school.”

Students like Alby also had the chance to make new friends and gain inspiring, real-world information about careers such as healthcare.

“We learn different life-saving skills every week,” Alby said.

“My favorite thing at the academy is doing heart massage and different scenarios with models. When I finish school, I will volunteer to work as a paramedic.”

St John WA ensures the Academy remains accessible to families by keeping costs low, with fees including uniforms and learning materials.

Registration for St John Academy for 2026 has started. Record the interest via: St John WA.