A NEW cohort of apprentice police officers have been finding out what life is like on the front line.
The 23-strong group, aged 18-24, are the first to join West Midlands Police from its new partnership with Leeds Trinity and Birmingham Newman Universities.
For the next three years, the group will blend classroom learning delivered at Tally Ho!, with placements on police teams including Response, Neighbourhood and Investigations.
At the end of that time, those who successfully complete the programme will secure a degree and be experienced, professional police officers, who have already served the people of the West Midlands for three years.
PC Kamer Orhan, from Birmingham, was studying Uniformed Public Services at Halesowen College before becoming an apprentice police officer.
Like all of her classmates, Kamer could have chosen one of a number of routes available to her to become an officer, but she opted for an apprenticeship to earn while she learns.
She said: “Being a police officer has been my dream since I was a child. My mum was a bit nervous for me, but she’s very proud.
“I wanted to serve and I wanted a degree, but I did not want a lifetime of debt paying off massive student loans.
“Apprenticeships mean you’re better off. You’re getting a degree while you’re working and you earn much more than a regular student job, such as bar work.”
There are now over 600 apprentices working across the force in departments as varied as IT, Forensics, our garages and human resources.
This is in addition to three internal apprentices – staff who receive additional training related to their role.
Chief Inspector Sarah Tambling, head of operational learning at West Midlands Police, said: “The 23 are among our first apprentice police officers in 16 months, and we’re as excited as they are to have them join us.
“Over those 16 months, we’ve carefully selected our new learning partners – Leeds Trinity and Birmingham Newman universities – and worked with them to develop a course we’re proud to deliver, a course the new recruits will be proud to receive and a course that helps us build a highly skilled force fit for policing in the 21st century. We’ve used that time to carefully select the students through a rigorous recruitment programme.”
The Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA) is paid for in full by the force’s apprenticeship levy – money it has to pay to government because it’s a large employer, but which can be used to create apprentice opportunities for local people, helping them to earn while they learn.
The new apprentices will be supported throughout their course by trainers and then experienced tutors who mentor them, help them navigate our processes, monitor their performance and expertly guide them in real life policing situations while they’re on patrol.
