New police constable degree apprenticeship

The Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA) enables each budding PC to get out on the beat from day one - while working towards a degree in professional policing practice and becoming a fully-qualified constable.  

It's a fast-track and coordinated way to learn theory, put it into practice and achieve academic qualifications.

How does it work? 

Police apprentices work in the community from day one, earning a wage while they train. The apprenticeship covers all areas which are critical to effective policing in the 21st century - such as evidence-based policing, supporting vulnerable people, and cyber-crime.   

Content aligns with the PCDA standard which combines this practical on-the-job training with academic theory.  

How are candidates assessed? 

Candidates are mentored by fellow police officers throughout their training, and then complete an end-point assessment (EPA) to finish the course.  

How do candidates apply? 

Individual police forces recruit apprentices in different ways. But to be eligible, candidates must be aged between 18-55, with recognised level 2 qualifications in maths and English. Level three (A level or equivalent) is preferred, but not essential.  

How is the PCDA funded? 

Most UK police forces pay the apprenticeship levy and will use these funds to pay for training. In fact, the PCDA has been designed to make use of levy funding, with plans for additional police training to be converted into apprenticeships.   

Get the best ROI from your apprenticeship levy.  

How will training be managed by forces? 

Candidates spend most of their time learning on the job, and 6 hours per week of their time learning at university. During their time on the beat, candidates will need to create a portfolio of evidence to prove exactly what they've learnt so they can be assessed against the relevant standards. They'll also need to take this portfolio to university, and show their work to mentors, tutors and managers. We recommend forces use an eportfolio to manage the process. 

Find out how to use Onefile to deliver police apprenticeships.  

Candidates spend most of their time learning on the job, and 6 hours per week of their time learning at university. During their time on the beat, candidates will need to create a portfolio of evidence to prove exactly what they've learnt so they can be assessed against the relevant standards. They'll also need to take this portfolio to university, and show their work to mentors, tutors and managers. We recommend forces use eportfolios to manage the process.  

To find out why Onefile is already used by police forces to deliver training, download our free guide.