Here in Calif., you need to be 18 years old to get EMT-1 (EMT-Basic) certification. I was 18 when I took the course (many years ago) and had been 19 for only a few weeks before I finished the course and got my card from the county. The Exploring program, through the Boy Scouts of America has a minimum age requirement of 15 years old, or completion of the eighth grade. Max. age is 22nd birthday. The program is co-ed. Explorers learn and practice their vocational skills under the close supervision of their Advisors (adult leaders). An Explorer is never supposed to be a replacement for a professional (or fully-trained adult volunteer) position in a certain occupation. The current Exploring program is what grew from the original Sea Scouts. Explorer Posts cater to a variety of career interests, from firefighting to law enforcement to other occupational skills.