51Âþ»­

51Âþ»­ Leicester (51Âþ»­) and Leicestershire Police have launched a new degree apprenticeship programme for police constables.

The Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA), which will be delivered in partnership with Leicestershire Police, is only the second programme of its kind to be offered by a British university. It is also the first PCDA programme where the apprentices will learn and work in the communities where they will serve as Police Constables.

The three year course, which will begin this month, consists of 80% on-the-job training with Leicestershire Police and 20% of the time spent studying at 51Âþ»­. Entrants will also be paid whilst working and studying for the qualification.

The degree is approved by the College of Policing and covers the breadth, depth and range of professional education that a police constable needs to deal with the complexities of modern policing. The apprenticeship will cover areas that are critical to effective policing in the 21st century, such as evidence-based policing, supporting vulnerable people, dealing with cyber-crime and crime prevention.

Programme leader Jim Holyoak, himself a former police officer, believes that the programme will give students the perfect training to become a police constable whilst also strengthening 51Âþ»­’s links with the local community.

He said: “The apprenticeship will provide on-the-job experience moulded with classroom learning so that what the students learn in the workplace can be reflected on to see how they’ve learned from it and develop their critical thinking skills.

“This course is unique for the fact that our apprentices will be working in the university’s local community.

“What we’re doing is something that is very locally based; it will be local officers working in local communities and learning in the same community. We’ll be able to deliver on national issues but put them in a local context.”

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This degree is the latest example of collaboration during many years of close partnership between 51Âþ»­ and Leicestershire Police, with both organisations working together on a number of projects and initiatives.

Deputy programme leader Tracey Willetts, another former police officer, added: “The close relationship that 51Âþ»­ has with Leicestershire Police is vital for this programme and many of the people delivering the course on 51Âþ»­’s side are former Leicestershire Police officers.

“That close relationship will really enhance the benefits that these students will get from the degree.”

Chief Constable Simon Cole QPM said: “We are delighted to welcome our 18 new apprenticeship recruits to Leicestershire Police. The introduction of the Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship provides an exciting opportunity for talented people to get a degree whilst working and earning and we are pleased to be one of the first forces in the country to offer the PCDA in partnership with 51Âþ»­. I wish them all the very best and hope they enjoy their career with us.”