Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA)

For details of police officer eligibility and quizzes for suitability see our Is a career in policing right for me? page.

In addition to the national criteria, as well as Avon and Somerset Police’s eligibility criteria for becoming an officer, the PCDA route requires you to:

• have a minimum of a Level 3 qualification (2 x A Levels) or equivalent, or
• be a current Special Constable for the last 18 months with independent patrol status, or
• be a current serving Enquiry Officer for the last 18 months, or
• be a current serving police staff investigator for the last 18 months, or
• be a current Police Community Support Officer for the last 18 months and have completed probation, or
• be working as a Detention Officer, Call Handler or Dispatcher within Avon and Somerset for at least 18 months

Acceptable Level 3 qualifications are:

• National Diploma
• National Certificate
• Level 3 NVQ or City and Guilds
• International Baccalaureate diploma
• Access to Higher Education Diploma

If you are unsure your qualification meets the criteria, contact the educational provider you studied with for clarification and send your confirmation to 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 Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship 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 aligns to these working hours.

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

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

• two early shifts (07:00-16:00)
• two late shifts (14:30-23:00) and
• two nights (22:00-07:00) 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.

As well as working with an operational policing team, you will complete 4 modules per year, over a 3-year period, covering 4 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.

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.

Once you have finished your training, we will ensure you have the right technology to help you work as efficiently as possible.

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.

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