Although we don’t ask for specific educational qualifications for police officers we do need people who have good written and verbal communication skills.
Our Preparing for the World of Work section gives you some hints about how you can make your application stand out from the crowd. You might want to think about doing some volunteer work, applying for work experience or joining a scheme like the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.
Some NVQ courses insist students spend some time on work experience before they can successfully complete the course. This type of course might be worth thinking about if you would like to work in administration, finance or human resources.
There are colleges that offer a course in public services. There are three levels to this course: BTEC introductory level one, BTEC first diploma in public services and BTEC national diploma in public services. Entry requirements range from no formal qualifications for level one to four GCSEs of grade D or above for the national diploma.
Whilst enrolling on this type of course would not guarantee employment in the force after you’ve completed it, it is a good general course and gives you an insight into what working for the police force would involve. In addition, it’s another way of showing us that you can work as part of a team and that you have good communication skills.
GraduatesYou may decide not to make your application straight after leaving school but to go to university first. The average age of our recruits is mid-20s so going to university could fit in well.
If you do join us as a graduate, you may want to apply for the High Potential Development Scheme. This scheme is open to all serving Constables and Sergeants and is designed to identify people who have the ability to reach the very top of the police service.
If you’re successful in getting through the very tough selection process, you’ll be given the training and guidance you need to become one of the police service’s future leaders.
Professional/Vocational Qualifications
Whether you join us as an officer or a member of police staff, we can still help you with further study and training.
If studying for a professional, recognised qualification would help you do your job better, we can help you with the cost of the course and even give you some time off for study.
We currently run a Leadership Development Programme in partnership with Staffordshire University. The course aims to develop the leadership and management skills of both officers and staff. The full cost of the course is paid for by the force and you’ll be given time off to attend seminars and to complete your assignments.
There are some posts where you would need to have a professional qualification before you could apply for the position such as forensic science, occupational health and vehicle examination.
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