Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship Route (PCDA)

Are you looking for a career like no other? Do you want the opportunity to study for a degree while gaining hands-on experience from day one? If so, join West Midlands Police through our Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA) programme.

As a Police Constable, you’ll play a vital role in keeping our communities safe, protecting the vulnerable, and tackling crime. This is a challenging but hugely rewarding career where no two days are the same.

About the PCDA Programme

Earn & Learn, you’ll be a fully employed police officer from day one, while studying towards a Level 6 Degree in Professional Policing Practice over three years.
Blended Learning, most of your training will be delivered in-house at West Midlands Police, supported by a partner university. Classroom learning will be combined with frontline policing and digital study.
Ongoing Support, training is practical and designed to prepare you for real-life policing, with guidance from experienced officers.
Future Opportunities, once you’ve completed your probation, you’ll have access to a wide range of career paths, from specialist units such as Firearms, Dogs, Roads Policing, and Investigations, to progression into leadership roles.

Please note: This is not a direct Detective route. However, after initial training, you may apply to join our Detective Academy pathway.

What’s in it for you?

Starting salary: £29,907, rising annually up to £48,231 within seven years.
BA Degree in Professional Policing Practice (on successful completion).
25 days’ annual leave, rising to 30 after five years.
Extensive benefits, including a pension scheme, employee support, staff networks, and professional development opportunities. See our benefits webpage for more details.
A career that matters – make a lasting impact on communities while developing your skills and future.

Who can apply?

You must have:

Level 2 English (Grade C/4 or above) AND
One of the following:
- Level 3 qualification worth at least 80 UCAS points, OR
- Level 4 or 5 qualification

Only final certificates will be accepted – these must be uploaded with your application.

Fitness, Medical & Vetting

Must meet the bleep test standard of 5.4.
Must pass medical checks, which may include drug and fitness testing.
Must pass our required vetting checks. See our Vetting FAQ for more information.

Residency & Nationality

Lived in the UK for the past 3 years.
Must be a British or EEA national, or have the right to work in the UK without restrictions.

Application Process

Our careers website provides a step-by-step breakdown of the application process.
Training & Probation, a three-year blended learning apprenticeship combining policing experience with academic study.