Traditionally, apprenticeships were on-the-job training for young people, typically aged 16 to 24. This is not the reality today or generally in the workplace.
Today, they have equivalent educational levels, from GCSE (Level 2) to Degrees up to master’s level and there is no upper age limit.
The government has set a public sector target to employ more people in apprenticeship schemes. They offer great opportunities for employees to learn new skills and work towards a qualification while being paid, supporting personal development, and helping staff retention. During the apprenticeship, employees will be released for up to 20 per cent of the working week for training.
Meet some of our Apprentices
Lucy, Recruitment and Selection Manager (former apprentice)
After I finished my A levels I thought an apprenticeship would be an ideal way to meet new people and gain some experience. The force supported me to complete my Level 2 and then Level 3 in Business Administration apprenticeship. By the time I had completed my level 3 I had not only secured a permanent position but had also gone through another recruitment process which saw me promoted. When I joined the Human Resources team I knew this was where I wanted to be so I requested an upskilling apprenticeship and have successfully completed the Level 5 HR Support qualification. I attend college every week as part of a 20% off the job training whist still being paid. Completing this qualification helped me to progress through the organisation to my current role of Recruitment & Selection Manager. I have now been with the force for 10 years and have continued to be supported and invested in by the force. My experience with Dorset Police has been challenging at times but ultimately rewarding and I cannot imagine working anywhere else. I have met some incredible people who have inspired and supported me and I now have the transferable skills I lacked as well as recognised qualifications.
Lucy, Recruitment and Selection Manager
Lloyd, Workforce Planning (future apprentice Police Officer)
With the support of Dorset Police and Devon & Cornwall Police I have been fortunate enough to complete a Level 5 HR consultant apprenticeship, while still being paid a full-time salary as a Resourcing & Development Analyst. My apprenticeship has not only given me a formal qualification tailored to my role but has also given me the confidence to push myself academically and professionally. It enabled me to step up into the senior analyst role, and challenge thinking within a large organisation. It has been a goal of mine for the past few years to supervise a team and I am hugely grateful my apprenticeship has had a direct effect on this. Once I completed my apprenticeship, I was lucky enough to be a finalist for the Dorset Apprentice Award and won Apprentice of the year. I now look to the future; it has always been a dream of mine to be a Police Officer and having had such a positive experience with an apprenticeship and with the introduction of the Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship I finally felt it was the right time to apply. I recently found out I was successful at the selection process and am looking forward to starting this new journey.
Lloyd, an apprentice
Jeannette, Learning and Development Manager
I am responsible for overseeing the delivery of the three new entry routes into policing all of which will result in a policing degree. This is part of a wider policing professionalisation agenda and sparked a personal interest as I hadn't the opportunity to achieve a degree during my earlier education. I was fortunate to be made aware of the Chartered Manager Degree Apprenticeship (CMDA) and attended a taster day at South Devon College. This was an ideal opportunity to ask questions and deal with concerns, mine in particular being could I achieve a degree part-time alongside my day job. Having just submitted my first assignment I feel very motivated and I am learning something new - it's certainly challenging but hugely rewarding.
Jeannette, Learning and Development Manager
Police Staff Apprenticeships
We are continuing to introduce new apprenticeships across Police Staff departments as we look to attract talent from all ages and backgrounds. The variety of opportunities available has never been greater; from Finance, HR to Communications and Vehicle Technicians, Administrators to ICT. To view our current police staff vacancies, please click the button below!
Police Constable Appprenticeships
We now offer a Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA) whereby those without a degree can become a Police Officer. The entry requirements vary from force to force, and to find out more about ours, please click the FAQ button below.
To apply to become a police officer you must be at least 17 years old, however you must be 18 before commencing employment. You will have already achieved a Level 3 qualification (or equivalent) as well as Level 2 in English and Mathematics or equivalent prior to entry.
The degree apprenticeship takes three years and at the end of the course successful students will be awarded in Professional Policing Practice by our training education partners
A workforce that reflects our communities
Our ability to build trust, understand problems and support our communities across a range of policing matters, relies on us having a workforce that is reflective of our communities and all the unique individuals that exist within them. We are committed to promoting equality and diversity within our workforce and to eliminating discrimination.
We are very keen to encourage applications from those that have never considered policing as a career. Representation within our workforce from black and minority ethnic communities and females is currently much lower than we want it to be; by improving this we will be better able to serve our local communities and our work place will benefit from all the differences in thinking, points of view, and approaches that diversity brings.
In order to achieve this we are proud to pursue a policy of ‘positive action’.
For further information and to register for this scheme please click the button below.