Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA)

Police officer eligibility criteria and quizzes for suitability can be found on our is a career in policing right for me page.

In addition to the officer eligibility criteria, the PCDA route requires you to have a minimum of a Level 3 qualification (2 x A Levels, or equivalent) Alternatively, you must have been serving in the following role for the last 18 months:

• Special constable, with independent patrol status
• Enquiry officer
• Police staff investigator
• Police Community Support Officer (PCSO), with probation period completed
• Detention officer, call handler or dispatcher with Avon and Somerset Police

Level 3 qualifications

Acceptable Level 3 qualifications could be one of the following:

• 2 x A Levels
• National Diploma
• National Certificate
• Level 3 NVQ or City and Guilds
• International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma
• Access to Higher Education Diploma

If you are unsure if your qualification meets Level 3, contact the educational provider you studied with for clarification. Once you have confirmation, email TalentPoliceOfficer@AvonandSomerset.Police.uk.

For an overview of an officer’s typical day-to-day tasks and what Avon and Somerset Police expect from officers, see our what makes a good police officer page.

Candidates starting on the PCDA will commence on pay point zero of the police constable pay scales. This will increase annually on the anniversary of your joining date, during your probation period.

• Year 1 (pay point 0): £29,907
• Year 2 (pay point 1): £31,164
• Year 3 (pay point 2): £32,427

As a police officer, you will be contracted to work 40 hours per week and both your classroom and on-the-job training are included in these working hours.

Whilst studying, you are required to attend training at UWE Bristol or Police Headquarters Monday to Friday working either 08:00 to 16:00 or 09:00 to 17:00 as defined by your timetable upon joining.

While in tutorship and working as an operational police officer you will work to a 24/7 shift pattern consisting of:

• two early shifts (07:00 to 16:00)
• two late shifts (14:30 to 23:00) and
• two nights (22:00 to 07:00) followed by rest days

Flexible working patterns will be considered against the requirements of service delivery but periods of learning delivery will be in 40 hour week blocks.

The PCDA programme is delivered in partnership with the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol) and includes classroom delivery, practical application and tutorship. The programme is split between the university’s Frenchay and Glenside campuses and Police Headquarters in Portishead.

You will be classed as a full-time student and so will be able to take advantage of student benefits.

As well as working with an operational policing team, you will complete four modules per year, over a three-year period, covering four key themes of the policing curriculum:

1. craft skills
2. vulnerability and risk
3. occupational competency
4. evidence-based policing

In your first 13 weeks, you will undertake personal protection training, driver training, system training as well as classroom learning based at Police Headquarters and UWE Bristol campuses. After this initial period, you will continue your study working with a 24/7 response team to put your acquired skills and knowledge into practice.

You are not required to wear uniform in lectures, however, you will be required to wear uniform when working on police premises or on practical assessments when directed by your lecturer. Uniform will be provided upon appointment.

Protected learning time

The Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship requires academic study and assessment, so you will receive protected learning time to complete your assignments.

While you will have responsibility to maintain your academic work, we provide at least 20% off-the-job protected learning within your contracted work time. However, as an operational police officer, the majority of your time will be spent on building competence in the role and on-the-job training.

Read our step-by-step recruitment process for police officers.