West Mercia Police is among the first forces to adopt the new entry pathway into policing, which will see apprentices study for a degree in Professional Policing Practice while they serve as police officers.

New recruits will complete initial training to help them learn the basics of policing, before being allocated to a police team where they will learn the practical side of the job, while completing a course of study with Staffordshire University.

Under the scheme, led by the College of Policing, prospective student police officer applicants are able to apply via one of three entry routes:

• Joining and studying towards the Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA) to achieve a degree in Professional Policing Practice after three years

• As a candidate with an existing degree, working and studying over two years towards a Graduate Diploma in Professional Policing Practice

• If recruits wish to study first, they can do a three year Degree in Professional Policing as a standard student at a university of their choosing, and then apply to the force and follow a shorter on-the-job training programme.

Apprentice police constables will receive a starting salary of £21,525, or £22,550 for student officers on the Degree Holder Entry Programme, and the tuition fees for the degree or diploma will be paid in full.

For more details regarding recruitment opportunities, please visit the West Mercia Police website www.westmercia.police.uk