THIS National Apprenticeship Week, the Met is calling on non-degree-holding Londonersto apply to join as a police constable – while working towards a fully funded degree.

The Police Constable Degree ApprenticeshipProgramme (PCDA), whichformally recognises policing as a profession, will provide new recruits with the knowledge and skillspolice officers demonstrate every day.

An athlete, a taxi driver and a prison officer are among the 143 new constables who joined the Met in January.

With a starting salary of£30,000, theyare now well on their way towards a fulfilling career inpolicing.

More than 33% of the recruits were from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds; and 50% were women.

The Met said it is "making real progress towards our ongoing ambition to reflect London's diverse population".

Former student turned police constable Gurpreet Kaur said: "Becoming a police constable with the Met is an incredible opportunity for me to help the public and keep London safe.

"Policing may be a challenging job at times, but it is also extremely rewarding and no two days are ever the same."

What the training involves:

On successful application, new police officer recruits will start their training by attendingone of four London universities – including the University of West London in Ealing.

They will learn the history and culture of the area they'll be working in, as well as learning about the lived experiences andchallengesfaced by the local communities; they will hit the streets alongside experienced police officers in the communities theywill go on to serve.

Their 'on the job' and classroom-based learning will cover in depth topics such aspublic protection, evidence-based policing, crime investigation and community policing.

To enhance this, the recruits will also spend time working alongside experienced investigators, specialist teams focusing on violent crime, emergency response teams and safer neighbourhood teams.

Former paramedic and mental health trauma manager, constable Rachael Brown said: "I have always wanted to work with people and make a difference.

"From the young age of nine I knew I wanted to be a police officer and train as a detective.

"But being fortunate enough to experience the range of opportunities the Met has to offer - who knows where I might progress to.

"I am really looking forward to the whole experience and really challenging myself."

Throughouttheirthree-year training programme,recruits will return to university for short blocks of learning but will remain first and foremost a police officer from day one.

Upon successfully completing all elements of the apprenticeship, they will be awarded a BSc (hons) degree in Professional Policing Practice and will be confirmed in rank as a police constable.

Following this, they cango on to pursue one of many specialist roles, should they wish to.

Training as a detective, a specialist firearms officer or working incounter terrorism are just a few of thewealth of career opportunities Met can offer.

The Met's director of learning Alex Walsh said:"This is a very exciting time for our newest recruits as they take their first steps in what I'm sure will be a rewarding career where they can thrive and make a real difference to the lives and safety of many Londoners.

"The apprenticeship programme provides an exciting opportunity to gain a widely recognised degree qualification, which acknowledges the variety of knowledge and skills that is required to be a police officer and do the extraordinary things our officers do every day.

"They join an exceptional and highly skilled police service, where they will receive the support to become the very best they can be, as well as excellent trainingthat willequip and prepare them for the unique challenges of policing a city like London.

"Joining the Met as a police constable through our apprenticeship programmereally is an exciting opportunity and one we hope will help encourage Londoners – particularly those from our Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities to consider – to think about a career in policing."

How to apply:

Applications for the Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship entry route are currently open to non-degree holders that meet the Met's eligibility criteria.

The starting salary for PCDA route is£30,006 inclusive of allowances, rising to circa £33,000 on successful completion of the three-year programme.

There is a vast range of benefits available to Met officers and staff, including a whole host of in-work benefits such as a generous pension and annual leave allowance, flexible working and continuous professional development opportunities.

For more information on joining the Met, please visit the police website.

The Met will be working with the following universities to deliver the apprenticeship programme:

• University of West London
• Brunel University London
• Anglia Ruskin University
• University of East London