Guide to Police Apprenticeships
Do you spend your Sunday evenings binge-watching Luther, Line of Duty and/or Bodyguard? Do you also spend every other evening watching Luther, Line of Duty and/or Bodyguard?
Yeah? Us too.
What you might not know is that, in 2019, police training changed forever. They officially made apprenticeships a part of their training unless you already hold a policing degree. Apprenticeships are taking over the world. Just like Tik Tok.
So, you’re inspired and you want to find out more about police apprenticeships. Well done! You’ve come to the right place.
In a hurry? Skip to your preferred section!
What’s so good about a police apprenticeship?
By joining the police you aren’t just changing your own life, you’re changing those around you too. There aren’t many apprenticeships available but it’s about quality, not quantity. And these apprenticeships will blow your socks off!
Police Community Support Officer
Level 4
Duration: 12 months
This apprenticeship is one step before becoming a Police Constable. Officers are community-based, as in it’s their job to be present within their community.
A Police Community Support Officer will wear personal protective equipment, e.g. stab-proof vest, high visibility jacket and a police radio to deter any criminal activity.
Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA)
Level 6
Duration: 3 years
Being a Police Constable or ‘PC’ requires you to be both physically and mentally strong. It’s a demanding job, but the rewards make it worth it. You will be trained to prepare for the worst-case scenario, working with your team to provide protection for victims and civilians.
To be a good PC, you must have a high level of maturity as you will be trusted to manage sensitive investigations and protect vulnerable victims.
Where do I sign up?
Hold your horses… there are a few entry requirements - keep reading to ensure you are eligible to apply for a Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship.
You have to be between the ages of 18 and 55.
You’ll likely only be considered if you have achieved your A Levels or an equivalent qualification.
Work experience wouldn’t go a miss!
Make sure you have a good level of personal fitness.
For more information on entry requirements, click here.
Got that down?
Amazing! You’re ready to apply. Visit the College of Policing website to apply for apprenticeships near you.
Remember, you can apply for more than one force at a time BUT you can only attend one assessment centre every 6 months.
Click here to find a force near you.
Benefits of being a Police Officer…
So you’re wondering… what other benefits are there to being a PC, apart from the super-cool hats? The good news is, there are so many!
London police get FREE travel
If you’re a police officer in London you can ride the underground and buses for free. You could go from Uxbridge to Upminster without it costing you a penny. London is your oyster.
Pensions, pensions, pensions
We bang on about it all the time but pensions are so important. Luckily the police have a great scheme in place. You can thank us later.
Training and development programmes
There is so much room to progress in the police force. They want you to move up and branch out into areas that best suit you. They offer things like secondment programmes so you can specialise in specific areas. What can I earn on an apprenticeship? The salary for apprentices in the Police will vary from force to force. But the current minimum wage for apprentices is £3.90 an hour.
Below is a fabulous table outlining the National Minimum Wage in the UK.
| Age | Current Rate |
|---|---|
| 25 and over | £8.21 |
| 21 - 24 | £7.70 |
| 18 - 20 | £6.15 |
| Under 18 | £4.35 |
| Apprentice | £3.90 |
After you’ve completed your apprenticeship, you’ll no longer be on an apprenticeship wage. Instead, you’ll be looking at earning around £30,666 (the average salary for Police Officers in the UK).