Student officer Anna Blakeley

Anna is a student officer on our Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA) pathway.

I joined the police at 18 years old, after I had finished my A-Levels. Previously, I worked part-time as a lifeguard and a swimming teacher alongside my A-Levels. I would say that close family friends and relatives in the job have inspired me to be a police officer, but the idea of a challenging, high-speed, and varied job within a cohesive and supportive team environment has always appealed to me.

The PCDA route was particularly attractive to me because it gives you the opportunity to earn while you learn. You are still able to continue in academic study and have no student debt at the end of it! I feel the idea of applying the academic concepts practically to the job is a unique aspect of this route, which helps to cement a more holistic understanding of the job while you work towards and achieve an academic degree.

While it has it’s challenges and involves a lot of hard work, this apprenticeship has been a brilliant and an enjoyable experience so far. I feel that through the combination of assessed, classroom-based work, and engaging with and helping members of the public on the job, I have developed a comprehensive set of skills I can apply and develop moving forward.

I would wholly recommend this route to anybody who is wanting to study while gaining experience in both a varied and a highly rewarding career.