“Why is this first aid course more expensive than that one?”
“I can do this first aid course cheaper elsewhere.”
When people compare first aid courses, these are the two most common comments people will make.
They’re fair comments and questions and the honest answer to them isn’t about branding, well known established companies or glossy marketing. More often than not, it comes down to who is delivering the training and the experience they bring into the room.
This post is about helping you understand what actually sits behind the price of first aid training (aside from the cost of admin and certification), so you can make an informed decision and choose the right provider for you or your organisation.
Why First Aid Experience Matters More Than the Certificate
Most of us can remember a teacher from school who made learning stick.
Not necessarily because they followed the textbook perfectly but because they brought the subject to life.
They told stories, shared real examples, challenged you to think and adapted their teaching when something didn’t land. Other teachers might have taught the same syllabus but the experience felt very different.
First aid training works in exactly the same way.
Two courses can cover the same content but the person teaching it determines how much learners actually understand, remember and feel confident using.
You Often Get What You Pay For in First Aid Training
At a basic level, many first aid courses appear similar on paper. They may follow the same syllabus, cover the same topics and issue the same type of certificate at the end. But how that content is delivered makes a huge difference to what learners take away.
Lower cost first aid courses often focus on:
- Highly standardised slide decks
- Large group delivery
- Instructors trained primarily to teach the syllabus
- Teaching to pass an assessment rather than to perform under pressure
That approach can tick a compliance box but it doesn’t always build confidence or real-world capability.
More in-depth courses tend to invest in:
- Smaller group sizes
- Scenario based learning
- Hands on practice
- Instructors who can adapt teaching to real situations
- Instructors with frontline experience
That additional investment is reflected in the cost and it significantly improves the quality of training. First aid instructors who actively deal with casualties outside the classroom, bring that reality into their teaching.
The Real Cost Is the experience of the First Aid Instructor
One of the biggest factors influencing price is the background of the instructors. However some training providers up their costs because of their established reputation but that doesn’t always mean that they are the better training providers.
Some first aid training companies use instructors who are excellent educators, but whose experience comes almost entirely from the classroom. They are trained to teach the syllabus not necessarily to apply it in complex, high-stress, real world situations.
Instructors with real emergency experience can explain:
- What scenes actually look like when things go wrong
- How people behave when they’re scared, injured or in pain
- What commonly trips first aiders up in real situations
- How to adapt when conditions aren’t ideal
This leads to training that focuses on decision making and confidence, not just memorising steps.
Learners often leave with a better understanding of:
- What’s realistic
- What’s most important
- How to stay calm and think clearly
That depth of learning is difficult to deliver without genuine operational experience.
First Aid Scenario-Based Learning vs “Tick-Box” Training
Experienced first aid instructors tend to favour scenario-based learning because it reflects real life.
That means:
- Casualties that don’t follow a script
- Environmental distractions and hazards
- Time pressure and decision making
- Learners having to think, adapt and communicate
This style of delivery takes more time, more preparation and more instructor skill, which again affects cost, but it produces first aiders who are far more prepared for real incidents.
Why It’s Important to Look Beyond the Price of First Aid Training
Not all higher priced training is automatically better and not all lower priced training is poor. However, price differences usually reflect differences in delivery quality, instructor background and learning depth.
If first aid training is something you may one day rely on in a real emergency, it’s worth taking the time to choose carefully.
When choosing a first aid provider, look beyond the headline price and ask:
- Who are the instructors, and what do they do outside the classroom?
- Do they actively work in emergency or response roles?
- Is the first aid training practical, interactive and scenario based?
- Can they give real examples from frontline experience?
A reputable provider will be open about their instructors’ backgrounds and happy to explain how that experience shapes their courses.
Questions to Ask a First Aid Training Provider
Before booking a course, consider asking:
- Who delivers the training, and what is their professional background?
- Do instructors have real world emergency or response experience?
- Is the course mainly slide based or does it include practical scenarios?
- How large are the group sizes?
- Will I get hands on practice and feedback?
- Can instructors give real examples from incidents they’ve attended?
- Is the training adapted to my workplace or environment?
Choosing the Right First Aid Training Provider for You
First aid training isn’t just about gaining a certificate, it’s about feeling confident enough to act when it matters.
Much like your favourite teacher at school, the instructors who make the biggest impact are usually those who have lived the subject, not just learned how to teach it.
Understanding that difference can help you choose first aid training that offers real value, even if it costs a little more upfront.
If your priority is:
- Confidence
- Real world readiness
- Practical decision making
- Learning from people who have “been there”
…then paying a little more for experienced instructors is a worthwhile investment.
First aid is about real people, real emergencies and real consequences.
The quality of the person teaching you how to respond, matters so much more than many people realise.
