How getting a degree while you work as a PC is a 'perfect opportunity'

Three police constable degree apprenticeship officers at Nottinghamshire Police – one of the first forces to run this entry route – tell us how the PCDA helped them to further their education while working in force and gaining a range of experience.

'I was working in an office for a few years and it wasn't to my cup of tea,' says PC Toby Roberts. 'I didn't have a degree and I wanted to get into the police, so when they rolled out that you could do it at the same time, I thought it was the perfect opportunity.'

PC Summer Smith says the PCDA is 'a win-win situation', allowing her to visit different policing environments while studying. Summer feels it was a much better entry route for her by providing a 'balance between education and work'.

Watch our video to find out how Summer, Toby and George were able to work on attachments and switch from intelligence to response to prisoner handling – helping them develop their knowledge in different areas of policing. 

More about the PCDA

Find out how you can take a degree while you work as a police officer – a route into policing that enables you to receive practical on-the-job learning alongside academic theory and knowledge while earning a wage.