Some people are on every employer's "always wanted" list, and for all the right reasons. They may have excellent social skills, an extremely cool head on their shoulders, or some other inborn trait that makes them highly desirable.

Apart from inborn traits, however, people who are trained in handling emergency situations are always sought out by offices. While some occupations are more accident-prone than others, every workplace needs to have personnel who can handle health-related emergencies.

First-aid training, thankfully, is a fairly quick process. By spending less than a week in a first-aid training course, candidates will gain knowledge that can save lives, time and again.

Officially, first-aid training certificates stay valid for one to three years. While the initial training is provided in three to four separate sessions, an annual refresher course is enough to keep all the existing training up-to-date. The refresher courses are necessary to renew one's certification as a trained first aid provider, and can also educate candidates about any evolution in first-aid technology over the past year.

First Aid at work certificates are meant for people already holding jobs, and they do not render people eligible for employment in the medical sector without additional qualification. Clearly, the greatest beneficiaries from such courses are the trainees themselves, and the workplace.

Usually the workplace will pay for First Aid at Work certification courses. The courses are available for emergency first aid, general first aid, and paediatric first aid, in addition to a refresher course and a half-day workshop teaching the use of an electronic defibrillator.

The venue for the courses is decided based on the number of attending personnel. If there are less than five or six attendees, it is economically feasible to send them to the training centre. If more, the training centre will usually organise a course at the workplace itself. Whether at the centre or at the employees' workplace, the facilities provided at the course remain the same.

During a typical First Aid at Work course, candidates are taught how to deal with the most common emergency situations. A small list of these includes:

• Epilepsy or other seizures

• Unconsciousness from unknown cause

• Heart attack or stroke

• Anaphylaxis (usually due to extreme allergic reaction)

• Diabetic emergencies, e.g. Hypoglycaemia

• Respiratory emergencies - choking, asthma

• Superficial injuries - how to stanch bleeding and disinfect wound

• Serious injuries - fractures, dislocations, etc

• Overdose and poisoning

• Burns - whether fire or chemical

• Injuries to the eye, head or spine

In these situations and many others, the candidate is taught how to diagnose the cause of the problem, and deal with it accordingly. Also, maintenance of first aid supplies and records is also done by the trained First Aid at Work candidate. In an emergency situation, he/she must also know how to maintain personal hygiene and safety as well as communicate effectively to both the victim and other people in charge.

It takes less than four days, but it can save lives. Invest in a First Aid at Work training course, as soon as possible.