Police Community Support Officers Apprenticeship
Join us as a Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) Apprentice and take your first step into the world of policing.
Merseyside Police has proudly been ranked 3rd in the Public Sector category of the UK’s Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers — and is the only police force to feature in The Sunday Times Top 100 list.
Applications are now open for our first PCSO apprenticeship intake, planned for April 2026.
Start Your Career in Policing with a PCSO Apprenticeship and make a real difference in your community while earning and learning.
Are you passionate about helping others? Interested in a career that’s both rewarding and impactful?
What You’ll Do:
As a PCSO Apprentice, you’ll work alongside trainers and experienced officers to:
Engage with local communities to build trust and reduce crime
Provide visible patrols to improve public safety
Support vulnerable individuals and respond to incidents
Gather intelligence and assist in investigations
What You’ll Learn:
Through a structured apprenticeship programme, you’ll gain:
A nationally recognised qualification in community safety
Practical policing skills and on-the-job experience
Personal development and career progression opportunities
What We’re Looking For:
Good communication and teamwork skills
A genuine interest in community safety and public service
Entry Requirements:
• GCSE Level 2 (or above)
• GCSE Grade E (or above)
• Functional Skills Level 1 (or above)
• Adult Numeracy / Literacy Level 1 (or above)
Click here for the Job Description
What You’ll Receive:
A competitive salary while you train
Paid holidays, benefits, and pension contributions
Full support from mentors and trainers
A pathway into a long-term policing career
Salary: £26,106 to £28,653 plus 13.33% equalisation allowance after training (per annum).Holidays: 33 days holiday increasing with service to 38 days
Benefits: Local Government Pension Scheme
In depth training at our Mather Avenue Training Centre.
Continuous Professional Development
Police Blue Light Card Discounts and perks
Access to staff networks
Our Recruitment Process
To apply for the role of PCSO, you will need to meet the minimum criteria as outlined on our PCSO information page under “Eligibility Criteria”.
Details of the recruitment stages can be found on our PCSO information page... . We are currently recruiting PCSO’s to start employment in 2026
Please provide 5 years employment/education history, explaining any gaps in employment, as part of the experience and education history section of your application form. We will use this information to obtain references upon conditional offer - with your permission.
You will be invited to complete National Sift via the College of Policing shortly after applying so please do ensure you monitor your emails and complete in a timely manner as interviews are expected to be consistently conducted with pre- employment checks including medical, vetting and biometrics being conducted shortly after. You will be contacted throughout the process from a DO NOT REPLY system email address but if you have any questions, please email careers@merseyside.police.uk
Our commitment to Diversity, Equality and Inclusion
To help us achieve a workforce that represents our communities, we have a dedicated Inclusion team who work to encourage people from diverse communities to build their career with our force. They also provide undefined and guidance throughout the job application process to candidates from under-represented groups. To find out more about the undefined on offer from our dedicated Inclusion team please click here or contact us at outreach@merseyside.police.uk