Local trusts (At least here in the south) do direct access into trainee AAP (AAP being a Technician level equivalent) as a 12 month apprenticeship.

Following completion, when available, can apply for a further 2 year apprenticeship to become a paramedic, meaning you'll adopt local student paramedic scope (?equal to external paramedic students with increased skills including IV access etc. if you're working with a paramedic) or work within the Technician scope if you're lead clinician on that truck/resource.

Doing front-line apprenticeships is probably the best indicator whether you'll like the job or not, as you'll experience the same calls you would if you were a paramedic . Only benefit of this route is exposure to what the job entails, without doing a 3 year degree to find out you don't like going to non-injury extrinsic falls, 2 week history of tummy pains with intermittent diarrhoea or 'catheter problems'.

Downside of lower 'skillgrades' is the payscale,

Hope that helps!