POLICE EMPLOYEE 12
FLEXIBLE AND SUPPORTIVE JOB SATISFACTION WITH POLICE
writer PETER WHITE // photo NICOLA WILHELMSEN (KELK PHOTOGRAPHY) TOBIAS DEVEREUX is combining doing a double degree at Otago University with working part-time as a contracting Police employee. The 18-year-old is majoring in Maths and Computer Science, with his overall career goals focusing on the digital, computing and software areas. In Year 13 at Kavanagh College in Dunedin, Tobias studied NCEA Digital Technology, Dance, French and Religious Studies, plus he studied maths at university.
He had passed eight university maths courses by the time he left school. He won medals at the New Zealand Math Olympiad (NZMO) placing him among the very finest young mathematicians in the country. Tobias says the Police work he is doing part-time is really interesting as it is nationwide, rather than just Dunedin-based. “It is eye-opening to see how such a big national operation like the Police works. I am in the service
THE POLICE ARE REALLY, realLy SUPPORTIVE. EVERYONE in the office is incredibly friendly and always willing to help.
group in what they call a blended model. They train people like me in lots of different things. “One of those things is taking (non-urgent) 105 calls but I haven’t started that yet. Mainly I have been doing transcription, which is where we listen to recorded DVDs and audio from Police interviews or from 111 calls or prison calls. “We then make a transcript of them, which is used by the Police for various things, including in court. I also do file management, basically putting things into the Police system.” There is a great deal of job satisfaction from what Tobias is doing. He says it is really cool that he can support the frontline Police by freeing up their time so they can focus on their jobs. There is real flexibility in the hours Tobias works for the Police, which means he can fit the work in around his university studies. “That is the great thing because it is casual. They are really good about it. I can say each week how many hours I want to work and on what days and they normally say yes. “Before this semester started, I was doing 30 hours a week, six hours a day for five days, but I have cut that back now to between 10 and 20 hours a week.” Tobias says there are some core skills needed to do what he is doing for the Police. “You have to be very particular and detail-orientated, and you have to be precise. There is a lot of typing and stuff, so computer skills are useful, but mainly it is just being open to learning new things and able to take on new knowledge and apply that.” He encourages school leavers to consider a role like his. “It is a really great job and really interesting as well. It is great how they are so flexible. “The Police are really, really supportive. Everyone in the office is incredibly friendly and always willing to help, especially people who are higher up. They are always willing to answer any questions.”
TOBIAS DEVEREUX
KEY FACTS ■ TOBIAS DEVEREUX IS WORKING FOR THE NEW ZEALAND POLICE PART-TIME WHILE HE COMPLETES HIS TERTIARY STUDIES. ■ HE WORKS IN THE SERVICE GROUP. THE GROUP GETS TRAINED IN TASKS SUCH AS TRANSCRIPTION, FILE MANAGEMENT AND TAKING NON-URGENT POLICE CALLS. ■ TOBIAS RECOMMENDS A ROLE LIKE HIS TO SCHOOL LEAVERS. AS WELL AS FINDING THE POLICE TO BE A FLEXIBLE AND SUPPORTIVE EMPLOYER, HE SAYS HE GETS A GREAT SENSE OF JOB SATISFACTION. LEAVINGSCHOOL.CO.NZ
| LEAVING SCHOOL ISSUE #23
For more information on career opportunities with the New Zealand Police, visit www.police.govt.nz/careers
