Police Resettlement magazine Winter 2024 by Lance Media Group

www.peelsolutions.co.uk

Why franchising could be the smartest option for people leaving the Police Force

A franchisor’s perspective by Troy

Tappenden, Managing Director, Dream Doors

As the MD of Dream Doors, the UK’s largest kitchen makeover franchise, I see a lot of applicants to join our network – more than a thousand last year in fact. It’s no big surprise – franchising can be a wonderful life for anyone that’s prepared to put in a little hard work, and in my experience, expolice are among the best at that. We currently have three ex-police in our network and I wouldn’t hesitate to add to that number – here’s why.

THE APPEAL OF BEING A FRANCHISEE

It’s a real crossroads when people leave the police force. Often they are relatively young – in their 40s or 50s – and have plenty of years left in the workplace. So a change of scene is needed and running their own business remains one of the most popular choices. People are attracted by the lifestyle, status, flexibility, money, and the chance to be their own boss, with all the freedom that comes with it.

Being a franchisee provides all of the above, but with an additional support network on top. Franchising gives someone the chance to call the shots, shape their own destiny and keep their own time – it is hugely rewarding. It allows someone to work in a field that they have chosen and have an interest in, and it is far more convenient in maintaining a decent work/life balance, helping with the school run and much more.

It’s important to choose the right franchise opportunity of course. We offer an award-winning 12 week training programme, designed to bring a franchisee up to speed on everything to do with kitchens and kitchen makeovers, as well teaching a range of business disciplines, such as marketing, HR, accounts

and sales. Any ex-police should be looking for similar support and guidance from the franchisor.

Franchising can also be a great living. One of the ex-police in our network is Gareth KavanaghDixon, who owns Dream Doors Cambridge with his wife. Gareth’s showroom won our coveted year on year growth prize, in the Dream Doors 2015 awards. The average turnover in our network is more than half a million pounds, so the attraction is clear for all to see.

WHAT QUALITIES DO EX-POLICE BRING?

All of the ex-police we currently have in our network bring a discipline and a work ethic that fits the franchise model particularly well. Running a franchise can be hard work, and the discipline required to work in the police force is a great attribute to transfer across to franchising.

There are a number of other skills too. I spoke with another of our ex-police, Mark Battin, who owns a Dream Doors showroom in Worcester, and asked him what he thought made ex-police so suited to franchising:

“As a police officer, one of the skills that can be overlooked is dealing with people. Every day in

the force, you’d be communicating with a wide range of people, which is a wonderful skill to transfer across to franchising. The ability to communicate effectively and to instil trust is invaluable, and when you throw in the strong organisational skills and ability to knuckle down and work hard, then ex-police have a lot to offer as franchisees.”

FRANCHISING VS SETTING UP ON YOUR OWN

After spending so long in a job, ex-police have a tough decision to make about their next career move. While most will (hopefully) have a decent lump sum to invest in their future, spending that money on setting up your very own business can be fraught with risk.

For anyone launching their own business or startup, it is hard to say with any certainty whether it’s a brilliant idea or a complete dud. More than likely it is somewhere in the middle, but the point is that no-one really knows, so it is a much riskier option.

By contrast, a good franchise is a proven business model. It’s still a question of people getting out what they put in – even with the best franchise a lazy franchisee that isn’t prepared to do the hard yards is never going to be a success. But if any ex-police choose a franchise with a good product, good support and an established model, then it makes it a really smart choice for a new working life outside the force.

Section Heading

Contents… Winter 2024

06 TIPS FOR STARTING A NEW JOB WITH IMPACT AND CONFIDENCE

RADA Business tutor Imogen Butler-Cole offers advice for tackling nerves, connecting with colleagues, and making an impact.

10 SERVING AND RETIRED POLICE OFFICERS REAP BENEFITS OF AWARDWINNING CYBERSECURITY TRAINING PROGRAMME

SaluteMyJob, a social enterprise supporting members of the Armed Forces Community into civilian employment, is opening their innovative training programme to serving and retired Police Officers looking to get into the burgeoning field of cybersecurity.

13 FUTURE SUPERINTENDENTS WEBINAR SERIES

The National Centre for Police Leadership (NCPL) are running a series of free online webinars.

16 A LAW DEGREE WITH A PRACTICAL BIAS TO IMPROVE YOUR EMPLOYABILITY IN THE LEGAL SECTOR

Has your work in the Police Force triggered your interest in law?

18 EXCITING TIMES FOR EMERGENCY SERVICES CAREER TRANSITION

The past few months has seen a whirlwind of activity for Emergency Services Career Transition.

24 OFFICE FOR NATIONAL STASTICS

If you are looking for something challenging where your Policing skills and abilities can be utilised, we recommend having a closer look at the opportunities afforded as a Social Survey Field Interviewer with the ONS.

26 THERES GOT TO BE A BETTER WAY... Positive Transition Limited was founded in Feb 19 to leverage 22 years’ experience of providing transition support, exploit technology and deliver a solution that empowers the individual and the family in making the very best of the life changing circumstances.

28 WHY POLICE OFFICERS ARE LEAVING AND WHY RETENTION IS CRUCIAL

PFEW’s 2024 Police Leavers’ Survey revealed key reasons behind resignations and retirements, emphasising the importance of retaining experienced officers to ensure effective policing for the public.

34 SERVICE TO SELF EMPLYMENT

...WITH SUPPORT

Life upon leaving police service can present many challenges, not least of which is what to do next professionally.

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This publication is copyright Police Resettlement Ltd and may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form in whole or in part without prior written permission of Police Resettlement Ltd. While every care has been taken during the preparation of this magazine, Police Resettlement Ltd cannot be held responsible for accuracy of the information herein or for any consequence arising from it. Views Expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of Police Resettlement Ltd or the editor.

Welcome…

Welcome to the Winter 2024 issue of Police Resettlement magazine...

the Police force or about to retire.

We will be attending the Security Cleared Jobs and Police Resettlement Expo at the QE11 Conference Centre in Westminster, London. You can still register for free to attend the event by visiting www.policeresettlementexpo. com . Please come along and speak with members of our team who will appreciate your comments about the magazine.

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In every issue we aim to bring you opportunities for those looking at career progression or transferring to other forces, as well as highlighting training and employment opportunities for those of you considering leaving

Police Resettlement magazines are free of charge and designed to assist you all with career development whilst still serving, as well as gaining crucial transitional support and advice when finally leaving service. Our advertisers are carefully selected to ensure they make your transition back to civilian life an easy one, please be sure to mention our magazine when contacting them as without them none of this is possible.

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Tips for starting a new job with

impact and confidence

RADA Business tutor

Imogen Butler-Cole offers advice for tackling nerves, connecting with colleagues, and making an impact.

Whether you’re starting out in the world of work or are established in your career and beginning a different role, a new job is certain to provide a lot of change. You will meet new people, learn a lot, and adjust to a different office culture and procedures. Sometimes this information overload, and the pressure of making a good first impression and delivering results in a new environment, can cause confidence to dip. So how can you sustain confidence, show up, and make the best start possible in a new role?

RADA Business tutor Imogen Butler-Cole offers advice for those looking to tackle nerves, connect with colleagues, and make an impact.

IT’S NATURAL TO BE NERVOUS

You’ve aced the interview and signed the contract, but as you prepare for your first day you may find yourself feeling nervous. The good news is that it’s completely normal. “Think of your nerves as excitement ”, says Imogen. “Many of the symptoms that we get when we feel nervous are from adrenaline.

Adrenaline can actually serve us as it gives us energy and focus .”

“The symptoms that we get from nerves - such as shallow breathing, butterflies, and stumbling over words - are the same symptoms as excitement. Instead of thinking of these physical reactions as nerves or fear, think of them as excitement instead, and know that the adrenaline is serving you. By breathing low and slow, you can mitigate your response.”

MAKE CONNECTIONS

Once you begin your new role, it’s important to start getting to know your colleagues. Remember that not all conversations - even those online - must be formal. Scheduling an online coffee break with a colleague, to replicate those water-cooler conversations, is a good way to start.

“Ask for conversations with people, even if it might not be

specifically related to the job ”, says Imogen. “Don’t be afraid to ask questions that show curiosity and dynamism. Ask people questions about themselves and their interests, to find out what motivates them within the work .”

“Go in prepared with three to five questions that you think might connect you based on shared interests - it doesn’t just have to be about your working life. Once you have had these conversations, you’re more likely to know who to go to when you need help.”

“I would also recommend setting yourself daily goals to get you talking to your colleagues. It might be something as simple as setting a goal for how many people you would like to introduce yourself to today. And then once you’ve achieved it, you let yourself off the hook. So, if you’ve said that you want to speak to three people, speak to those three people, and you’ll feel a sense of achievement as well as building relationships with your colleagues .”

MAKING AN IMPACT

While settling into a new job, meeting new people, and learning about your colleagues, remember that you bring a fresh perspective. Don’t be afraid to share your ideas, whether at an in-person meeting or on a video call.

“Showing willingness, seeing how you can get involved, and suggesting ways of working from your fresh perspective are a really good way to make your mark ”, says Imogen. “Whether you’ve come from a different company, or perhaps from studying, a career break, parental leave or travelling, asking questions and making suggestions can be a really good way to make an impact.”

“Of course, not every idea will land, but the key is openness and honesty, even when things go wrong. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Owning your mistakes - and it’s important to remember we all make mistakes at first - help us to learn and grow. Don’t be afraid to lean into that habit; set an intention to own up to mistakes when they happen. That will demonstrate your confidence, and build honesty and trust.”

VISUALISE YOUR SUCCESS

“I recommend visualising your past successes before you start your first day. This will build your confidence ”, says Imogen.

“Imagine a gallery or a museum, emptied out of all its exhibits. Think about all the great moments that you’ve had in your life, and try to visualise those triumphs, successes, goals that you’ve achieved, great conversations you’ve had with people, even

personal moments that you’ve shared with friends or family. Then, fill your museum or gallery with those moments. The more that you visualise this place, and the more that you see those moments, the more they will be at the forefront of your mind .”

We often tend to catastrophise and think about the times that we failed, especially when in a high-stakes situation such as starting a new job. You may think: I won’t be able to do it because I’ve failed or messed up before; as it stays at the forefront of the mind. If you’re thinking about the positive achievements that you’ve made, you’re more likely to feel more confident .”

“A s well as reflecting on your past successes, I suggest projecting a vision of your future. Before you

start your new job, imagine your best first day possible, including having the best conversations possible, and achieving the best possible results. What does it look like when you’re having these brilliant conversations? How does it make you feel? Feel those feelings in your body. Build up an image of yourself, so that you can step into this projected version of yourself when you start your first day. You’ll find that you’re more resourced and equipped to turn up and be in that mindset .”

Whilst starting a new job can be overwhelming, whether you’re new to the world of work or simply beginning a new role, connecting with colleagues and making an impact will help to make the experience less daunting and to have the best start possible.

3 Critical Skills

for any Job Interview, according to an Expert

RADA Business tutor Sheelagh McNamara offers key insights and skills for creating a connection with your interviewer, tackling nerves and projecting confidence to make a standout first impression.

Whether you’re interviewing for a job role with a new company or for an internal position, preparing for a job interview and ensuring you perform at your best can be daunting. It’s easy for nerves or lack of confidence to set in, which can mean that you struggle to communicate your suitability for the role to the interviewer.

Sheelagh McNamara, Executive Coach and Lead Tutor on RADA Business’ Executive Presence for Women programme, offers her key insights and skills for creating a connection with your interviewer, tackling nerves and projecting confidence to make a standout first impression.

PREP FOR SUCCESS

Take some time to write a list of your strengths, and don’t forget to ask your friends and family members too - you’ll be surprised how many you can think of. Don’t forget to identify your weaknesses too, as you may well be asked this in the interview. Make sure to reframe your weakness as areas that you’re consciously working to improve. Seeing a list of your strengths and some areas that you’re improving will get you into the right headspace for those tricky interview questions, and will boost your confidence.

Next, research the company in advance. When looking through a company’s website, don’t just pay attention to what they do, take note of the language that they use, and understand their values. Knowledge of the company will stand you in good stead for the interview, but it will also help you decide if the company is the right fit for you. How do their values and yours align? Can you find any common ground? How do your strengths match up? Reflecting the company’s language and values in an interview helps the interviewer to picture you as the ideal candidate for the role.

Sheelagh advises that you prepare for a variety of questions. You may be asked expansive questions such as ‘What goals have you achieved over the last year?’ or challenging ones, such as ‘How do you retain your customers?’. The key to answering these challenging questions is to reframe and answer as if it were an expansive question. Make sure that your answers are concise, clear and structured.

Remember P.A.R:

• What was the problem you encountered?

• What action did you take to tackle it?

• What was the result? (Make sure to cite a positive one!)

Practise your answers with a friend or family member and ask them for honest feedback. Record yourself so that you can see how you’re coming across. Take note of your gestures – don’t gesture too often, but when you do, note how it changes your messaging and impact.

A STANDOUT FIRST IMPRESSION

If you’re interviewing in person, remember to be warm, friendly and polite to the receptionist.

This is usually the first person you see and hiring managers will often ask for their feedback.

Before you walk into the interview room, take a deep belly breath and exhale slowly as you enter, with your head held high to project confidence. Imagine that you have an invisible confidence string attached from the base of your spine to the crown of your head. It’s vital that you own your space.

Be aware that your physicality is reflected in your voice. Make sure that you’re grounded. Sit on your chair with your feet firmly planted on the floor: don’t cross your legs as this makes your breathing shallower. Sit on the front 2/3 of your chair with your back straight; it helps to imagine that invisible confidence string! Grounding yourself and opening up

your body allows you to breathe more deeply and deliver your answers clearly and confidently.

It’s important to maintain eye contact with your interviewer, as this will help you to make a strong connection and develop rapport. For online interviews, it’s imperative that you speak to the camera. It can be tempting to look at the screen, so – if it helps – use a sticky note with an arrow pointing to the camera to remind you.

When interviewing online, make sure that you close all other programmes on your computer to reduce distractions, Be aware of your background, too. Check that the background is not messy or distracting; use a blur filter if necessary. Remember that you also need to be seen clearly – use a ring light or sit in front of our window facing the source of light to make sure that your face is visible.

TACKLE NERVES

The key thing to remember is that if you’ve done your preparation, you’ll be less nervous. If you’ve landed an interview, it means you’re in with a chance.

Don’t spend the final moments before an interview frantically flicking through your notes. If you’ve prepared well, you’ll be able to call it to mind in the interview. Instead, focus your energy on your physical state.

Find a quiet place to strike a power pose before your interview. Sheelagh advises “Stand in a V shape with your hands over your head. Or place your hands on your hips like a superhero. Do this for 2 minutes.” These expansive postures help to reduce nerves and increase your energy. Research shows that this postural reinforcement

can increase testosterone production and reduce the stress hormone cortisol.

While you sit in reception, or at your laptop waiting for your interview to begin, it’s natural for stress to make your body contract, and to breathe higher and faster than normal. However, contracting your breath in this way increases your heart rate and cortisol production. To calm your nerves, breathe in through your nose for four counts, and then out through slightly pursed lips for five counts. Your exhale should be longer than you inhale. Using this exercise will slow your breathing and consequently your heart rate, making you feel less nervous.

CONNECTION AND CONFIDENCE

All of these elements come together to create what Sheelagh calls ‘empassertiveness’ – empathy, coupled with assertiveness. Your language and physicality should convey credibility and authority, as well as warmth and kindness, which creates a strong connection with your interviewer and an impression of confidence. Lastly, it’s important not to forget that you secured an interview because your application stood out to the company. These tips will help you to dissolve nerves and build a connection in the interview, but you need to remember to be yourself and let your experience and personality shine through!

To learn more about RADA Business, please visit radabusiness.com

Serving and retired Police Officers to reap benefits of

Award-winning Cybersecurity Training Programme

For a decade, SaluteMyJob has been bridging the gap between the skills and experiences of the two-million strong Armed Forces Community to fill business critical gaps facing employers. We are delighted to be able to extend that free support to the talented pool of highly-skilled Police Officers to help them on their journey into cybersecurity.

SMJ offers a range of specialist services. SaluteMyJob Search, where we expertly match talent to opportunities in the public, private and Third sectors, helping employers create a sustainable talent pipeline. Our Pathways Programme provides free-training in cybersecurity, targeted at filling employers’ business critical skills gaps. Our SMJ Consulting Services provide specialist advice to help organisations implement structured sustainable and measurable programmes to deliver their Covenant pledges, build pipelines of talent and realise the social value of their activities to support the Armed Forces community.

We are very proud of our fullyfunded Pathways Programme.

In collaboration with Abertay University, IBM and the Click Start initiative - a reskilling programme developed by the Institute of Coding (IoC) and funded by Nominet, - SaluteMyJob’s Pathways Programme trains and provides the necessary commercial experience for members of the Armed Forces Community - and now, former and current Police Officers to compete for demanding roles, within cybersecurity and AI. The programme is also supported by employers offering guidance, further training, work placement and employment opportunities.

The transferable skills police officers have honed within their career is well-matched to fulfil roles within the cybersecurity industry, an industry which has boomed over the years and will continue to grow, but is also facing critical skills shortages.

Managing Director of SMJ, Andrew Jackson, said: “We are incredibly proud of our Pathways Programme, which makes the most of veterans’ transferable skills and helps them acquire the requisite skills and experience to succeed in digital, AI and cybersecurity roles where there is the greatest demand.

“Like veterans, police officers are well-equipped to fulfil a wide range of roles within the cybersecurity industry thanks to their unique transferable skills; such as critical thinking, problem solving, decision-making and an in-built security mindset. We look forward to having them join our next cohorts.”

Our free training courses offer you the opportunity to gain

technical skills, certifications and on-the-job training in Ethical Hacking (Penetration Testing), Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT), Cybersecurity Governance and Policy and Artificial Intelligence.

Applicants do not necessarily need to have a technical background - as one of our biggest success stories has proven.

Former British Gurkha Men Gurung, was part of one of the first cohorts who successfully completed the Penetration Testing course at Abertay University. His inspirational journey shows that even coming from an less technical background, you can still excel in the world of cybersecurity - as Men is doing right now.

“Coming from a non-tech background, I challenged myself to pursue a new career in IT. Initially, it was very

challenging, but by embracing those challenges every day, I gained a better understanding of cybersecurity and technology.

The Penetration Course has helped me enormously,” said Men. “SaluteMyJob has been the backbone of my cybersecurity journey. Providing valuable resources, guidance, training courses and morale support as well as connecting me with industry professionals, has helped me immensely in reaching where I am today.” Men’s first cyber opportunity was at Wood PLC in Aberdeen, as a Business Information Security Analyst.

Now he is in his ‘dream role’ at IBM, as a Cybersecurity Analyst.

What is unique about our programme is our employer partners gain free access to high quality talent, meaning you

Find out more about these available courses at www.salutemyjob.com / pathways

receive on-the-job training and valuable commercial experience.

One of our employer partners, Securious, has reaped the benefits of our programme, employing two graduates of our Penetration Testing course, who are now trained Cybersecurity Consultants.

Rosalind Woodward, co-founder at Securious, said: “We train them, give them on-the-job experience. They work closely with other consultants and we develop them by adding professional qualifications on top of that and helping them on their pathway. This programme has introduced us to some really good candidates and given us an opportunity to have them shadow somebody else and learn without us having to worry about how we can train them, how we can afford that. I feel very confident actually that

we would do this again. It really has been a great transition for us because it helped us get qualified members of staff and has made a massive difference on what we can deliver for our clients.”

If you are an employer and would like to become a partner and access our candidates, email Andrew Jackson at andrew@ salutemyjob.co.uk

Future superintendents webinar series

The future superintendents webinar series covers different areas of continuing professional development (CPD). These webinars are for individuals from under-represented groups up to, and including, chief inspector rank and staff equivalent.

journey to superintendent level. This is a rare opportunity to gain insider knowledge and tips from those who’ve been through it.

INTERVIEW/BOARD PREPARATION AND READINESS

The National Centre for Police Leadership (NCPL) are running a series of free online webinars. To

BEHIND THE RANK/ ROLE: PANEL Q&A

28 January 2025, 10am to 11am

Join an exclusive live Q&A panel. This is your chance to ask real-time questions and get honest, answers and advice from a panel of officers and staff who have successfully navigated the

18 February 2025, 10am to 11.30am

This dynamic online webinar dives into essential strategies for interview and board preparation, equipping you with proven frameworks for success. You’ll also get insight into the new Competency and Values Framework (2024).

The recruitment process should be set up to ensure fairness and forces have got better in understanding reasonable adjustments – make sure you raise any concerns beforehand. From my own experience, preparation and confidence are crucial. Knowing

what to expect is therefore helpful. Think of the process positively – it gives you the chance to showcase your operational and leadership skills – things like using the STAR method can help structure answers and improve confidence to ensure you are successful.”

Chief Superintendent Sara Crane

www.college.police.uk/article/

National Crime Agency

ABOUT US

The NCA currently employs more than 5,000 officers with a range of expertise and in a variety of roles to protect the public from serious and organised crime. Officers collect and analyse data and intelligence to understand the threat we face, and they investigate and relentlessly pursue criminals who cause the highest harm. They use forensics and surveillance to solve and stop crime, and they make sure the Agency keeps people, communities and the country safe by setting direction and providing access to the best skills, technology and tools.

The NCA’s headquarters are in London, with major hubs in Bristol, Birmingham and Warrington, as well as regional offices across the UK. To deliver our mission we work across the world with teams and officers based in more than 40 countries.

ORGANISATION

The NCA was established by the Crime and Courts Act in 2013. We are an non-ministerial civil service department , operationally independent and accountable to Parliament thorough the Home Secretary.

HOW WE WORK

We use advanced data analysis and intelligence collection to find and target the criminals that pose the greatest threat to the public, institutions and infrastructure. Our operational teams work to bring these criminals to justice, dismantle their groups and degrade the international networks that support them.

THE NCA FOCUSSES ITS OPERATIONAL EFFORTS

Upstream

Disrupting those at the top of the criminal chain who are responsible for the harm that organised crime causes to the UK, as well as the people and systems that support their activities and launder their money.

Overseas

Tackling serious and organised crime at its source and en route to the UK, working alongside international partners to prevent criminal activity from reaching the UK’s streets.

Online

Combatting the use of technology that allows criminals to plan their activity, exploit victims, and hide their criminal profits.

Leading the UK’s operational response

Our partners include police forces, HMRC, Border Force, the UK intelligence community, government departments and international

organisations such as INTERPOL and EUROPOL. We also work closely with organisations in the private, charity, and regulatory sectors.

OUR MISSION

The National Crime Agency’s mission is to protect the public from serious and organised crime.

We do this by Degrading the most harmful organised crime groups that pose a threat to the UK; Leading the national operational response to serious and organised crime in the UK.

What we do

We lead the UK’s fight to cut serious and organised crime. NCA officers work at the forefront of law enforcement, building the best possible intelligence picture of serious and organised crime threats, relentlessly pursuing the most serious and dangerous offenders and developing and delivering specialist capabilities on behalf of law enforcement and other partners.

What we investigate

• Border vulnerabilities

• False ID documents

• Fraud

• Modern slavery and human trafficking

• Child sexual abuse and exploitation

• Illegal firearms

• Drug trafficking

• Migrants on a boat

• Organised immigration crime

• Cybercrime

• Money laundering and illicit finance

• Kidnap and extortion

CURRENT VACANCIES

Are you looking for a rewarding and challenging opportunity where your work really matters? If so the National Crime Agency may be the place for you. Whatever your role, from investigations to intelligence, crime analysis to commercial procurement, you’ll be making a difference. All our vacancies and job descriptions can be found on the Civil Service Jobs website. www.civilservicejobs. service.gov.uk

WHAT ARE THE ENTRY REQUIREMENTS?

You will be admitted to the programme either on the basis of recent academic achievement or through evidence of achievement in the sphere of your current work. Full details of acceptable qualifications are given on the City, University of London and CILEx Law School websites.

A law degree with a practical bias to improve your employability in the legal sector

Has your work in the Police Force triggered your interest in law?

If so, you could consider studying for the LLB in Legal Practice by distance learning. This is a four-year programme that allows you to earn alongside study. The fees are £18,500 in total payable over four years, so they compare very well with course fees for full-time degree courses. The law degree provides an excellent foundation for training as a solicitor, barrister or Chartered Legal Executive.

“This course will not only give you essential legal knowledge, but the skills and confidence to apply it in real life situations.

Although you may be physically at some distance from the University, the extensive support available makes this programme a very attractive alternative to full-time study.”

Angela Jackman Course Leader City Law School.

WHAT DOES THE DEGREE LEAD TO?

On graduation you will be eligible to undertake further training towards becoming a solicitor or barrister. Both of these professional qualifications require a further programme of study.

The degree has been designed to ensure that you will be exempt from all academic study necessary to qualify as a Chartered Legal Executive, although you will need to fulfil the work-based learning element, for which you will need to be employed in the legal sector. The route to qualifying as a Chartered Legal Executive may change in the course of the programme, but transition arrangements are likely to be put in place.

During the period of study you will have access to City’s careers service who have designed a bespoke programme for students

on this course. Whatever your final ambitions, since this course is delivered by distance learning, you could, depending on your personal circumstances, start applying for a role in the legal sector alongside your studies, perhaps as a member of support staff such as a legal administrator or paralegal in order to get a foot in the door.

WHY CITY, UNIVERSITY OF LONDON?

The City Law School, incorporating the former Inns of Court School of Law, was the first University Law School in London to educate students and practitioners at every stage of legal education.

The City Law School is part of City, University of London. Founded in 1894, the University is among the top 15 universities in the UK for graduate employment. Its aim is to develop the professional, dynamic, highly motivated, and “practiceready” lawyers of the future.

WHY CILEX LAW SCHOOL?

CILEx Law School has over thirty years of experience in delivering distance learning courses in law and legal practice. It has over 3,500 students enrolled on distance learning courses, and has excellent administrative and student support facilities in place for the remote learner.

CILEx Law School is a notfor-profit organisation wholly owned by the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives.

WHAT WILL I STUDY?

The programme includes the core law modules common to all law degrees that qualify you for further study to become a solicitor or barrister. You will also select from elective modules in years three and four, which include the practical elements that make this degree so distinctive. The choice of elective modules allows you to tailor your study to your career aspirations by choosing the areas of legal practice that interest you most.

HOW IS THE COURSE DELIVERED?

The course is offered jointly by CILEx Law School and City Law School.

The programme starts with a two-day induction course on 21 – 22 September 2019. This is designed to give you the skills needed to manage your study successfully. After the induction session you will be set a weekly programme of work for each of the modules. For each module the syllabus is delivered through a dedicated online learning area giving access to specially designed materials, webcasts and exercises.

Formative assessments give you practice in applying the knowledge that you have gained, and feedback from tutors helps to develop your understanding of the subject matter. The detailed weekly timetable means that you will have a structure to work to, and you will have access to the teaching and support teams to give advice and guidance by phone, email and online forum as you go along. There is a revision weekend to help you prepare for exams, where expert tutors will guide you through the syllabus highlighting key topics and explaining points of special significance.

Gain

HOW OFTEN DO I HAVE TO ATTEND CLASSES?

The induction, revision and exam sessions are all held at City Law School’s premises in London. Other than this, there is no attendance requirement. CILEx Law School is a specialist in supported distance learning, and although you will not attend classes regularly, you will have all the support you need to achieve success through the extensive tutor support and sophisticated resources available through the online learning environment.

degree by distance learning while studying to be a Chartered Legal Executive

A law degree with a practical bias to improve your employability

A four-year distance learning LLB that allows you to earn alongside study

Competitive fees payable over 4 years allows cost to be managed

A foundation for training as a solicitor, barrister or Chartered Legal Executive

Jointly delivered by City, University of London and CILEx Law School combining academic rigour and distance learning expertise

£4,625 per year – total cost £18,500

City,

Exciting times for Emergency Services Career Transition (ESCT)

The past few months has seen a whirlwind of activity for Emergency Services Career Transition (ESCT).

At our recent Advisory Panel meeting we were pleased to introduce our new Strategic Partner Director, Ren Kapur MBE, to the team. Ren brings with her a wealth of experience in supporting people transitio ning into civilian careers, with Enterprise Learning and Self Employment, through her organisation X-Forces Enterprise. Ren said

‘It’s a privilege to work with ESCT and the board members. Providing business knowhow and access to networks cannot be underestimated whether the decision is to work for someone

or start a venture of your own. Having built the largest enterprise community for the armed forces, and their families, in the UK, we were determined to create the same for others who have served, plus their families, and I am delighted to join ESCT to make this a reality’.

“X-Forces Enterprise has already supported over 200 people from the Emergency Services and with the partnership, and Ren’s appointment, we are determined to reach many more people across the UK” said Gavin McMillan, Director at ESCT.

HERE’S TO THE INAUGURAL PROGRAM KICKING OFF IN GLOUCESTERSHIRE

In addition, we announced the start of the ESCT Programme for police officers in Gloucestershire Constabulary. This Programme is supported by their local Police Federation as part of an overall support and welfare package they offer their members. There are plans in place to roll out our ESCT Programme to other parts of the country over the next six months.

In October we manned a stand at the Police Resettlement EXPO in London, courtesy of Security Cleared Jobs. We were busy all day, listening to police officers and staff who were struggling with coming to terms with retirement, and the lack of support given to them. Many were leaving it right up to the last few months or weeks to start making plans.

Many told us that they were so busy at work that they did not have time to plan their future in any constructive way. We would advocate starting your planning at least two years before retirement. ESCT can help you through this process, recognising your needs and planning at your pace. ‘I don’t know what I’m going to do’, was a regular comment from those who sought our help. This is a common concern for many, and we can help you through this process one step at a time.

Also, in October, we were invited to the Hampshire Constabulary Police Federation Annual General Meeting, where we were able to inform officers on the support available to them, and how ESCT can help access this support as they plan their retirement or seek out development within their organisation.

So, what are we hoping to achieve?

The simple answer is to provide a range of services that support Emergency Services staff as they prepare to transition from the Service to the next stage of their life, at no cost to the individual.

THIS INCLUDES BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO

• Helping you explore what retirement or leaving the Service would mean to you and your family

• Reviewing your overall financial situation and future requirements

• Coaching for CV writing and interview skills if you are looking for a new job

• Understanding the power of networking and self- promotion

• Guidance on finding a job or starting up your own enterprise or business, including access to government backed funding

At the heart of what we do is that each service we provide is tailor made to suit your individual circumstances.

HOW CAN WE AFFORD TO DO THIS?

We are able to offer these services completely free, due to the fact that the Government, Charities and Corporates recognise the important contribution that members of the Emergency Services make, as well as how crucial it is to take advantage of the unique skills they have gained in their careers, and so fund ESCT to be able to support the transition into their new lives .

If you are thinking about life outside the Emergency Services, are approaching retirement, or if you even want to simply discuss the options that are available to you; take advantage of the unique platform that has been created by Emergency Service Leavers FOR The Emergency Services, and head to www.esctransition.org. uk to start your journey with us.

EMPLOYER

RECOGNITION SCHEME

The Emergency Services Career Transition Recognition Scheme awards companies’ who support the UK Emergency Services Community. This can be demonstrated through supportive policies to those who serve, volunteer or have served with the Emergency Services. We also encourage support for Emergency Services families, who are the vital support for people doing challenging work, often with anti-social hours and conditions. We also strongly advocate support for the Emergency Services cadet schemes and we are proud to support schemes such as Citizens in Policing.

ESCT DELIVERS THEIR CAREER TRANSITION PROGRAMME TO GLOUCESTERSHIRE POLICE

ESCT are pleased to be working with Gloucestershire Constabulary

to deliver a six-month Career Transition Programme to 20 of their police officers that are preparing to retire. This Programme is sponsored by their Police Federation Branch as part of the ongoing support they provide to their members from the start of their career to the time they exit the organisation.

The Programme has been designed to take a holistic approach and provide participants with all of the advice and guidance they need to help them plan their retirement. We are not simply looking to discuss their finances, although this is important, but to also consider what they want to do, beyond retirement, and how we can help fulfil their potential as they move into the next phase of their life.

The Programme includes a series of seminars, workshops, coaching sessions and ongoing mentoring which each participant can take advantage of at no cost to them. All aspects of the Programme are delivered by appropriate experts, including financial advisors, HR and recruitment leads, networking and social media leads and coaches.

To make sure the services we deliver meet the needs of the participants, and to help us develop our services, the Programme is being overseen by Buckinghamshire New University who will assist us with our evaluation. The Programme is being sponsored by BMW and X-Emergency Services. A range of our supporters from industry, and experts in their field, will be delivering the sessions, including BT, Eight Wealth Management, Datum, QintetiQ, ThinkBeDoLeadership and X-Emergency Services (part of X-Forces Enterprise).

AWARDS

The level of commitment demonstrated by organisations is recognised by a Bronze, SIlver and Gold awards system. We are pleased to announce that the first of our Bronze Awards were presented to the following companies last year: QinetiQ qinetiq.com

Ashridge Group Ltd ashridge-group.com

EMW Law LLP emwllp.com

Bolderwood Solutions Ltd bolderwoodsolutions.com

Red Latitude. redlatitude.com

CVQO https://cvqo.org/ South Coast Port Services. www.southcoastportservices.co.uk Representatives from each company attended an awards ceremony, hosted by Qinetiq, at their offices in Farnborough.

This was a joint ceremony with companies who had signed up to the Employer Supported Policing Scheme.

Each of these companies have demonstrated their commitment to supporting the Emergency Services Community. They recognise the value of employing people who have worked for the Services and the skills they bring with them.

Enlighten Training

WHY?

People usually understand why innovation is so important, but how easy is it to change when you’ve been doing something the same way for a long time?

Previous experiences can affect our approaches to risk and organisational culture can define how we transform. Working together we can celebrate the art of the possible, we can find creative solutions to longstanding problems and we can re-imagine new ways of working.

Enlighten Training can help your organisation to develop an ‘innovation culture’ and to harness the creative brilliance of your people.

WHAT WE OFFER

Maturity Assessment

Our Maturity Assessment tool explores 12 key elements of your business from vision and leadership through to culture and inspiration. We use a blend of interviews, workshops and literature / policy review to benchmark and to offer meaningful insight.

Innovation Workshops

Bespoke and highly interactive workshops bring people together to look at the challenges they face and to imagine new ways of doing things. We examine key elements of the innovation cycle including problem identification, ideation, concept refinement and making the case for transformative change.

Executive Coaching

Coaching tailored to your needs and focussed on complimenting innovation strategy with the development of programmes of activity that will help you to build an innovation culture at every level in an organisation.

ABOUT THE CKP

The Certificate in Knowledge of Policing (CKP) is a national level 3 qualification introduced by the College of Policing as a pre-join requirement for police forces. It covers the legislation, policy and processes required to be a police officer, so if you are thinking of joining as a police constable then this course and qualification is for you.

You must obtain the CKP qualification from an approved provider if you wish to apply/ join the Metropolitan Police

Service and many other Forces across England and Wales, including Cheshire, Surrey and Thames Valley to name a few.

1ACKP – Enlighten Training is recognised as an approved provider by the College of Policing.

The CKP qualification is valid for 3 years for individuals who do not work in a policing environment, and 4 years for those who do (such as Special constables, PCSOs or police staff). This means that you can complete the qualification and then chose to apply for a police force at the timing of your choice, but of course you need to keep your knowledge up to date to ensure you are at the level required to become a recruit police officer. To help you achieve this you will have access to the College of Policing student notes, and e-learning.

Our aim is to provide you with the knowledge and understanding required to enable you to become a police constable.

CASE STUDY

The Issue

We were approached by a large police service that wanted their new recruits to undertake the qualification as employees and therefore needed to retool the material to be suitable for delivery in this way, which also added the extra issue that failure of the assessments would lead to termination of employment.

The Goals

The client wanted the programme to run over 7 weeks over several years, utilising multiple classrooms and trainers so we were able to upscale our resources rapidly utilising our in-house trainers who had an extensive background in police probationer training.

The Method

We delivered a blended programme encompassing a range of learning methods to suit all styles, as well as using varied assessment methods from multiple choice, short answer, long written answers and professional discussion.

The Benefits

• Standardised training across all new recruits, giving clients the confidence all shared the same level of knowledge and understanding in critical policing legislative knowledge.

• Students on the programme received in-depth support,

coaching and learning far above that which could have been achieved on a solely distance or part time programme.

• The pass rate was nearly 100% allowing the client to maintain its recruitment targets and for students to progress with their careers.

• The outsourcing of this element of training also relieved pressure on the internal training department during a time of challenging targets and was also more cost effective in a time of austerity.

POLICING EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATION FRAMEWORK

The Policing Education Qualifications Framework is being introduced to support the development of policing as a profession by recognising and raising educational standards within policing. This work is being conducted by The College of Policing.

We understand your needs: Enlighten Training are already an approved provider of police pre-join training by The College of Policing, along with our partners Outsource Training we are the preferred provider of the Certificate in the Knowledge of Policing (CKP) for the Metropolitan Police. We currently work with over a dozen forces supporting them in the National Police Promotions Framework (NPPF), the supply of qualified trainers delivering the Initial Police Learning Development Programme (IPLDP), assessors, coaches and mentors and many other forms of police training.

If you are a force or a HEI we will be able to:

• Become a conduit between the HEI and the individual Police Forces, to provide an insight and bespoke consultancy services that will support the relationship between both parties to deliver the Apprenticeship Degree

• Along with Outsource (a long-established apprenticeship provider) we will manage you apprenticeship administration needs

• Provide qualified Police Trainers, Assessors, and Internal Verifiers

• Develop the Apprenticeship Degree scheduling, training delivery materials and course content, working with individual forces to meet their needs in line with the guidance published by The College of Policing

• We will use our organisational experience to support the apprenticeship HEI provider/ police force to complete all registration processes with The College of Policing

CKP/POLICE PRE-JOIN CERTIFICATE FOR A MAJOR POLICE FORCE

Enlighten has been the largest supplier of the police pre-join Certificate in Knowledge of Policing since 2013 and delivered it to thousands of individuals who have signed up to complete it, either to assist in the entry requirements of their police applications, or to gain a level 3 qualification.

While the curriculum is provided by the College of Policing all content design and lesson planning was undertaken into a coherent 10 module course that has been delivered via fully classroom-based methods, online, and blended which was a significant amount of design and development.

SUPPLY OF TRAINERS AND DESIGNERS

We have found many police forces benefit from having the support of a training services provider as it offers them a more responsive and cost-effective mechanism to respond to the peaks and troughs in demand for training. We can supply experienced trainers and educators for all manner of training from large scale recruit training through to highly specialised police, technology and security learning.

We are delivering this model to a broad range of police forces and special projects, particularly providing user training for large scale ICT implementation throughout the UK. Our trainers comply with, and exceed, College of Policing requirements for delivering police trainers and maintain their occupational currency and competency by conducting regular CPD which is monitored by us, and we have found this provides clients with guaranteed quality, a significant reduction in administration and flexibility. We have worked with many of our clients for many years which we take as a hallmark of their faith in us.

READY TO DEVELOP YOUR APPROACHES TO INNOVATION

To discuss how Enlighten Training can help you and to find out more about the products and services we offer please get in touch: hello@enlightentraining. org or call 020 3755 3366

Transfer to a force that

values difference

Here at Essex Police, our detectives are rewarded and valued for what they do, day in, day out. If you want a force that values difference, Essex Police could be the place for you.

Meet Detective Inspector Tony Atkin who joined policing at the age of 19-years-old. Now, more than 20 years later, Tony is part of our Essex Police family. He said:

“I loved being a police officer and the variety of teams I worked in, such as child protection and child homicide. I worked on the Jimmy Savile investigation from 2012 to 2017 and I was a case officer for the Rolf Harris investigation. I also pioneered the paperless working that we introduced into our major investigation rooms in the Metropolitan Police.

“Having gone through and passed the promotion processes in both the Met and Essex, I decided I wanted a new challenge. Having worked in the departments I had aspired to be in, I felt that the Met no longer offered that challenge.

“I was told I would be unable to stay in the role I had been temporarily promoted to, and positions available to me as a detective inspector in the Met meant increased travel to and from work, on top of 12-to-14-hour days. I needed a better work life balance, which Essex could offer.

“At Essex Police, the transfer process ran smoothly, and I received around 35 emails from the team about support, meetings and briefings.

“Everything was so personable.” Since transferring to Essex Police, Tony has felt “valued”, and by his 20 years and two months, Tony “needed a new challenge”. Essex Police has been able to provide just that.

“Coming to Essex has rejuvenated me. I certainly got that spark that I had at 19 when I first joined policing. Having that variety of where I work now has been an eye opener.

“It’s a one team ethos in Essex .”

Not only has Tony gained family at Essex Police, he’s also been given

the opportunity to be closer to his own family. It was his family that inspired him to become a detective, and at one point in his career, he was able to work with his uncle, who is now a retired detective superintendent.

“What I lost in London waiting; I have regained in family time. I now live closer to work, I can see my son more, as well as having the opportunity to work from home. I wouldn’t be able to do that before .”

We also provide succession planning, which means you have “involvement from your line manager” and you feel that sense of “reward”.

“The opportunity for promotion is bigger. There’s a lot of support here. I never received that support before outside of my team.

“There is a misconception in London that because Essex is a smaller force it limits the opportunities you have. That’s wrong. The opportunities are there in any force if you want them and if you work for them.”

Before you head over and click the transfer button, or if you’re still not sure whether this is the right move for you, Tony has some final bits of advice to share:

“Always speak to people that have done it before. I did everything I wanted to do in my last force and wanted a new challenge which Essex could provide.

“Despite there being a quarter of resources here, I still see the good work and achievements that Essex Police can do.

“I’m proud to be part of this force with what we’re able to achieve on a day-to-day basis.”

"ComingtoEssexhas rejuvenatedme.I certainlygotthatspark that I had at 19 when Ifirstjoinedpolicing. UPCOMING EVENTS

IS ESSEX YOUR FUTURE?

If you’ve completed your probationary period and served with another force at any rank, then we’d like to hear from you. If you are interested in joining us as a transferee, please register with us by completing our form at www.essex. police.uk/transfer and a member of our team will be in touch. Alternatively, you can contact us directly at corporate. recruitment.essex@essex. pnn.police.uk or on 01245 452234 for more information. We value you and your skills – use them to protect and serve Essex.

Office for National Statistics

My Story

So... after thirty years Police Service, where I was involved in a number of roles including general uniformed beat policing, crime and fraud investigation, discipline investigations, custody of detainees and

latterly crime training, the day came for my retirement. I had attended a preretirement seminar during which I was advised that as a Police Officer, I would have gained a number of transferable skills which employers, in the wider world, placed great value upon. I clearly

felt too young to retire so, on retirement from the Police, I looked around for something to do. Another lesson I learned was that ‘there is life after the Police Service’. So it was that an opportunity arose to apply to join the ONS (Office for National

Statistics) as a Social Survey Field Interviewer.Like so many people I now interview, I had never specificallyheard of the ONS or what they did or how they operated.

After studying the ONS website, I felt confident that I did have the requisite skills/ competencies so applied and was successful. There was no doubt the skills learned/developed whilst a Police Officer placed me in an advantageous position during the ONS selection process. These transferable ‘people skills’ include; my approachability, organising, planning, communicating (written & oral), listening, reliability, smartness/presence, confidence in working alone or within a team, the list goes on.

Not long after starting with the ONS, I was achieving good contact rates and co-operation from selected households to participate in these surveys. I enjoyed the interaction with those households selected, obtaining from them what I believe to be valuable accurate information or data

which is used to shape future planning and policy to the benefit of the community as a whole.

valuable accurate information or data which is used to shape future planning and policy to the benefit of the community as a whole.

The ONS interviewer’s role has many parallels to that of a Police Officer, planning work and routes to and from areas, finding the selected addresses, making contact or ‘reading the signs’ to establish the best time to catch someone at home. Once contact was made, to then persuade or convince the household of the importance of their data and gaining their agreement to take part in the survey.

As an organisation, I was impressed with the ONS and the support & training afforded to new recruits. After initial training, shadowing and being mentored in the ‘field’, it was several weeks before I was working alone. However my mentor/ tutor and Interviewer Manager were only a phone call away.

Although a ‘lone worker’ I am part of a team and have a good rapport with other interviewers regularly meeting up with them.

One of the greatest advantages of the role is the ‘flexibility’ of working hours.

I am on an Annualised hour’s contract, a new concept to me, but simplistically means:- I am contracted to do 1144 hours a year (so approximately 96 hours per month) these are worked flexibly, depending on the locality of areas worked and success rate in contacting selected households.

When I start and finish each day is down to me, there are guidelines and time scales for each survey, but by effective working and putting in long days (into the evening) at the start of each week, I end up with time in the latter half to do other things or perhaps have a ‘long weekend’.

One of the greatest advantages of the role is the ‘flexibility’ of working hours. I am on an Annualised hour’s contract, a new concept to me, but simplistically means:- I am contracted to do 1144 hours a year (so approximately 96 hours per month) these are worked flexibly, depending on the locality of areas worked and success rate in contacting selected households. When I start and finish each day is down to me, there are guidelines and time scales for each survey, but by effective working and putting in long days (into the evening) at the start of each week, I end up with time in the latter half to do other things or perhaps have a ‘long weekend’.

Another aspect of the ONS was that as an organisation it recognised my ‘additional’ skills from my previous roles.

I was utilised as a Temporary Interviewer Manager (formerly Field Manager) having some previous managerial experience. I am also used as Mentor (tutor) and have been involved in a variety of diverse roles within the Organisation including respect at work, mediation, recruitment & assessment days. I have also been involved in one-off studies including the Town Travel Survey and the Census Coverage Survey. By being utilised in these ways was a great opportunity to diversify my skills and to add variety to my daily role as a Field Interviewer.

So, if you are looking for something challenging where your Policing skills and abilities can be utilised, I would recommend having a closer look at the opportunities afforded as

WHO WE ARE

ONS is the executive office of the UK Statistics Authority which is an independent body at arm’s length from government, and which reports directly to the UK Parliament, the Scottish Parliament, the National Assembly for Wales and the Northern Ireland Assembly. ONS is the UK’s National Statistical Institute and largest producer of official statistics and produces statistics on a range of key economic, social and demographic topics. Key services include measuring changes in the value of the UK economy (GDP), estimating the size, geographic distribution and characteristics of the population (including statistics from the Census) and providing indicators of price inflation (CPI), employment, earnings, crime and migration. ONS currently employs circa 3,700 staff, 700 of whom are Field Interviewers who collect information for social surveys. ONS operates from two main sites - corporate headquarters at Newport in South Wales and from Titchfield, near Fareham in Hampshire. There are also a small number of staff based at Drummond Gate in London. Visit www.ons. gov.uk for more information.

WHY WORK FOR ONS?

Another aspect of the ONS was that as an organisation it recognised my ‘additional’ skills from my previous roles. I was utilised as a Temporary Interviewer Manager (formerly Field Manager) having some previous managerial experience. I am also used as Mentor (tutor) and have been involved in a variety of diverse roles within the Organisation including respect at work, mediation, recruitment & assessment days. I have also been involved in one-off studies including the Town Travel Survey and the Census Coverage Survey. By being utilised in these ways was a great opportunity to diversify my skills and to add variety to my daily role as a Field Interviewer. So, if you are looking for something challenging where your Policing skills and abilities can be utilised, I would recommend having a closer look at the opportunities afforded as a Social Survey Field Interviewer with the ONS. Although my

how they need to target and tailor their services. We are accountable through the UK Statistics Authority to Parliament and the devolved administrations of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and are therefore independent of Government Ministers.

HAVE YOU GOT THE QUALITIES WE

ARE LOOKING FOR?

• Are you outgoing and confident?

• Are you independent and like managing your own work?

• Do you enjoy meeting and talking to people?

• Are you interested in finding out about people’s lives?

• Are you a good listener as well as a good communicator?

• Are you self-motivated and organised?

The key to good interviewing is excellent communication, so you will need to have a pleasant and friendly personality, and the confidence to approach and converse with a wide selection of people, in order to gain respondents’ interest and co-operation. The ability to persuade reluctant people to agree to be interviewed is an important aspect of the job and we will provide training and support to help you with this.

• You will need to be able to plan, organise and manage your own work.

By joining the Office for National Statistics (ONS) as a Civil Servant carrying out official surveys you will be helping to inform Parliament about the state of the nation. ONS is the UK’s largest independent producer of official statistics and the recognised national statistical institute of the UK. We are responsible for collecting and publishing statistics related to the economy, population and society at national and local levels. Our range of economic, social and population statistics are published in over 600 releases a year. The data you collect will be invaluable to so many people in our country including the government and its agencies, citizens, charities, businesses, scholars and students. Charities, for example, use ONS statistics to gather background information to enable them to improve the lives of people by understanding

a Social Survey Field Interviewer with the ONS. Although my ‘promotion’ was temporary and several years ago, there are still opportunities for advancement within the ONS. I am aware of several former Police Officers who have become Interviewer Managers and progressed to Field Operations Manager.

‘promotion’ was temporary and several years ago, there are still opportunities for advancement within the ONS. I am aware of several former Police Officers who have become Interviewer Managers and progressed to Field Operations Manager.

JOB TITLE

Field Interviewer

SALARY

The current salary for this position is as foloows:

Actual pro-rata annual salary based on 1144 hours a year

National Rate – £11,175

Outer london Rate

• You must be capable of communicating tactfully and sensitively with any section of the population, young or old, employees or employers, highly educated or illiterate, all of whom will need a slightly different approach if they are to be successfully interviewed.

• Excellent verbal communication skills are essential.

• You will need to be proficient in utilising electronic equipment to record survey responses. You will need to use a laptop and smartphone.

• You must have full, unrestricted use of a car for work purposes at any time of the day.

• You will be required to transport equipment such a laptop and survey materials with you which can be heavy.

• You will need to be selfdisciplined and happy to work without supervision; interviewing can involve working long days & regular long car journeys into the evening.

APPLICATION PROCESS

If you are interested in joining Social Survey Division as a Field Interviewer, please complete and submit your application online prior to the closing date stated on the vacancy advertisement on the Civil Service Jobs website www.civilservicejobs.service. gov.uk/csr/index.cgi

It is essential that you complete all sections of the online application form as we will not accept or consider a C.V. or covering letter submitted for this post.

INTERVIEW PROCESS

If your written application is successful, a telephone based interview lasting approximately 30 minutes will be arranged by a member of our Field management team at a mutually convenient time. The interview will focus on your online application and your suitability for the role.

At interview, you will be assessed on your suitability for the job by providing us with evidence in the interview to support what you have included in your application. You should make time to familiarise yourself with the required behaviour before interview.

Prior to your interview, we recommend that you read these background notes fully and have any questions that you may wish to ask prepared.

If you are applying for more than one advertised vacancy as a Field Interviewer, please note that if you are selected to be interviewed you will only beinterviewed for the Field interviewer role once. More information

There’s got to be a better way…

The Services recruit, train, develop and employ people in roles that are demanding, physically and mentally challenging, occasionally traumatising and frequently in austere conditions and /or environments.

Instilled in each and every service person is the sense of duty and commitment and the roles often involve some level of personal sacrifice. The positive corollaries are around the sense of being part of something important, something vital and working with likeminded individuals as part of a wider connected team.

Leaving this kind of committed environment can be one of the most difficult things service people can do, and while many look forward to the day they can hang up the uniform and or accessories, there is an awareness of the practical, emotional and psychological changes ahead.

Positive Transition Limited was founded in Feb 19 to leverage 22 years’ experience of providing transition support, exploit technology

and deliver a solution that empowers the individual and the family in making the very best of the life changing circumstances. The early concept was to deliver personalised, scheduled, time appropriate reminders, information and guidance to empower the user in addressing all aspects of the transition process according to their circumstances. The concept has grown considerably through development

Positive Transition is well into developing a platform aimed initially at service men and women leaving the Armed Forces and then looking to work closely with the Emergency Services to provide a platform for people resettling from there.

The platform, referred to as +t (Plus tee), will be available via web and mobile devices providing the practical support in identifying and preparing for a second career, managing the practicalities of life and also supporting in the wellbeing aspects of such a life changing event. The service will be made up of modules of support

that will be available based on some basic survey questions, and then provide a bespoke dashboard view for individuals to manage their own transition and resettlement experience. This dashboard view with early User interface shows the modules available. Many are interrelated and connected and so, the platform can support in providing holistic and relevant information as required.

TRANSITION/RESETTLEMENT MODULES

People moving from a career in service often find it difficult to identify a second career and then determine the transferable skills that they have developed during service. The issue then becomes how you articulate those skills in a format relevant to the role you would like to undertake. The employment support on +t takes the user through a process of understanding who they are, how they work, what kind of work they find fulfilling and then recommends some suitable roles. From there, information can be collated about the roles that are of interest and provided in a comparison table to support in decision making. Once the user has identified 1 to 3 specific roles, then the platform provides support in CV writing and Interview techniques. The digital media in video or audio

format can be saved to the “Kit Bag” on the profile, and this will upload to the mobile device with the licence to stay on there for a set period. After that period, the file will self-delete from the device avoiding application bloat.

For people that are relocating, there is advice and guidance available on the new area, with details around health services (GP’s, Dentists etc) and schools in

the location. The GPs and Dentist information can also be accessed for when people are working or holidaying away from home.

COLLATED

INFORMATION ON LOCAL SCHOOLS.

Life changes are incredibly stressful periods and so. critical to the resettlement process is wellbeing. The +t platform provides a wellbeing checker for people to gage how

they are feeling ensuring that they pay attention to it and ask the questions of themselves rather than just battling through. Where people start to identify a build-up of stress, then there are low level exercises and techniques available in the wellbeing module. If people do not engage with these exercises, then there will be in app notifications and reminders that looking after yourself is essential to a positive outcome.

POSITIVE TRANSITION IS CLOSE TO DELIVERING THE MVP AND LOOKING TO START BETA TRIALS IN THE NEAR FUTURE

While it is aimed at the Public Services community, Positive Transition is in talks with other possible customers where career change is having an impact on the mental health and wellbeing of the people involved. The digital platform ensures that people are empowered to take ownership of their own life management and also have the ability to reach out to support as and when they need. Professional Sport, First Career, Independent Living and Living with Life Changing Injury or Illness are just some of the potential markets being looked at. In the longer term, a “lite” version of the service could be available for other life change situations such as Marriage, Divorce, Bereavement and even House Move. All situations that are recognised as being stressful down to the amount of information needed and actions to be performed in a timely fashion, and all on top of the normal life activities such as work, family, home and garden.

For more information, go to the website www.plus-t.co.uk Or email info@plus-t.co.uk

Why police officers are leaving and

why retention is crucial

Policing is a demanding profession, and recent trends reveal many officers are deciding to leave before reaching their pension age. This presents a growing challenge for the service as retention becomes increasingly difficult amidst worsening morale, job dissatisfaction, and personal strains.

PFEW’s 2024 Police Leavers’ Survey, which captured the experiences of 2,654 officers, pinpoints key reasons behind police resignations and retirements, highlighting why retaining experienced officers is crucial for maintaining an

while the remaining 27 per cent resigned. Although retirement at pension age is expected, the fact more than a quarter of leavers are resigning before reaching this milestone is concerning.

AMONG THOSE RESIGNING, THE PRIMARY REASONS INCLUDE:

• Low morale

74 per cent of those who resigned cited low morale as a major reason for leaving. Officers often feel underappreciated, or their efforts do not lead to meaningful outcomes, which contributes to job dissatisfaction.

• Job satisfaction

Many officers (65 per cent) expressed dissatisfaction with their roles, feeling unable to carry out their duties to the standard they desire due to constraints like understaffing or administrative burdens.

Personal life impacts

The toll on family life is significant, with 63 per cent of those who left the service pointing to the job’s negative effect on their family and personal life as a critical factor. Officers often face long and irregular hours, high stress, and a lack of work-life balance.

Staff shortages

A common complaint is the lack of personnel to manage

increasing workloads, with 60 per cent of resigners indicating understaffing and the inability to meet team or unit demands drove their decision to leave.

While retirement is often linked to pension access, it is notable that 40 per cent of retirees also mentioned low morale as a significant factor. This suggests even long-serving officers may be leaving because they feel disillusioned with the current state of policing.

Health issues, both physical and psychological, have emerged as key factors influencing decisions to leave the police force. More than a third of all respondents reported the job had a detrimental impact on their health, with those resigning particularly affected.

THE 2024 REPORT SHOWS

• 59 per cent of police officers who quit said the job’s impact on their psychological health had a major effect on their decision to leave, compared to 34 per cent of retirees.

• 41 per cent of resigners and 32 per cent of retirees pointed to physical health issues as a reason for their departure.

These findings indicate the demanding nature of police work can take a severe toll on officers’ wellbeing, contributing to early resignations.

Police retention is critical to maintaining an effective law enforcement service. When experienced officers leave, it results in several negative consequences:

1. Loss of experience and expertise

Veteran officers have valuable experience that is difficult to replace. Their departure leaves gaps in knowledge, leadership, and training for newer recruits.

2. Increased workload for remaining staff

As more officers leave, the pressure on those who remain intensifies. This can create a vicious cycle where overworked officers become burnt out, leading to further resignations or reduced performance.

3. Cost of recruitment and training

Hiring and training new officers is costly and time-consuming. Every officer who leaves represents a loss of investment for the police force, and it takes years for new recruits to acquire the same level of expertise as those who have left.

4. Erosion of public trust

High turnover can affect community policing and undermine public trust. A stable and experienced police force is

better equipped to foster strong community relationships and effectively manage local issues.

The report suggests that changes in the working environment could encourage officers to reconsider their decision to leave. Notably, 30 per cent of respondents said a better worklife balance would make them reconsider their departure.

Furthermore, 42 per cent of those who resigned said improvements in welfare would make them reconsider their decision, and 45 per cent mentioned a lighter workload as a key factor.

These findings indicate addressing work-life balance, providing better mental health support, and ensuring appropriate staffing levels are essential steps in improving retention rates.

The 2024 Police Leavers’ Survey highlights the importance of addressing the reasons why officers are resigning or retiring.

While some departures are inevitable, the high number of

resignations due to low morale, poor job satisfaction, and health concerns is worrying.

Retention of experienced officers is vital to ensure a wellfunctioning and effective police force. Implementing strategies to improve morale, provide better support, and ensure a healthier work-life balance could help stem the tide of resignations, maintaining a strong and resilient police service for the future.

Acting National Chair, Tiff Lynch, said: “This survey clearly demonstrates urgent action is needed to address the retention crisis within our police forces.

“It is deeply concerning that 27 per cent of police officers are resigning before reaching pension age, with low morale and poor job satisfaction cited as the main reasons.

“A significant number of our most experienced officers are leaving the service, disillusioned and burnt out - an alarming trend that must be reversed.

“The findings show the pressures officers face,

understaffing, increasing workloads, and the psychological toll that is pushing many to breaking point.

“More than half of resigning officers stated that their mental health has been severely affected by the job. This is unacceptable. We must ensure the welfare of our officers is prioritised, providing them with the support they need to stay healthy and productive in their roles. Government must therefore ensure the Police Covenant is meaningful and makes a positive and tangible difference to officers’ lives.

“Improving work-life balance, reducing the administrative burden,

"and ensuring appropriate staffing levels are all crucial steps we must take if we want to retain our skilled, experienced and dedicated officers. It is not just a matter of protecting their wellbeing but also of maintaining an effective and professional service for the public.

“We cannot afford to continue losing experienced officers at this rate. Without them, the consequences will be felt across the service, and across communities too. It is time for serious investment in the future of policing, ensuring we create an environment where officers feel valued, supported, and properly rewarded for the dangerous and demanding job they do.”

Policeretentioniscriticaltomaintaining an effective law enforcement service.

"

Thoughts about leaving policing

I originally wrote this article for a police magazine and felt it might be useful to reprint it here.

We have been supporting police officers as they leave policing for eleven years now, having set up Police into Private Sector (PiPS) in early 2011. We had all experienced moving from the singular environment of policing into the private sector as a steep learning curve. Not least because there did not seem to be any available tried and tested guidance that competently met the needs of police officers or long serving police staff. Having realised how little help there was, and now knowing this field from both the policing side and the private sector we set about offering the services we wished we could have accessed.

LEAVING

If you are leaving after substantial service then the resettlement days are helpful. They are useful are helpful at making sure all your financial and legal ducks are in line – and if you go along to any Met friendly events, I will be there (or online) talking about next careers. But what about if you are outside of that?

What if you are leaving without 30 years’ service, after 15 or five years? What if you need to know the best way to find the right jobs that suit your needs? What if you want to try new sectors for a fresh start?

PiPS are here to help you with the specifics, from CVs and LinkedIn expertise, career coaching and interview preparation.

You will need a strong CV that will get read and not left in the pile of applications, one that stands out for all the right reasons. You will need to ‘sell’ yourself, sending a poor account of what you are capable of you will undoubtedly mean being passed over. And when you have that CV where will you send it? How do you find the right roles? How do you make contact with people on the ‘outside’’?

Oh dear, it is no wonder many people feel a real sense of dread mixed with the excitement of a new adventure.Help is at hand – but you will need to reach out and take action.

WHAT WE KNOW AFTER ALL THESE YEARS

Working with many hundreds of former police officers, including

increasingly those who are looking to leave policing early, we understand that although there are barriers to success, once you know what to do, how to present yourself successful moves are more than possible.

CHALLENGES (AND SOLUTIONS) FOR POLICE OFFICERS

Selling yourself

The culture of “don’t get too full of yourself’ remains in use within policing. Arrogance and smugness are soon challenged and so one steps carefully – how horrifying it would be if anyone thought you were ‘showing off’?

Understanding is helped by ‘job’ speak – we often understand who people are by their roles, rank and history. However, in the private sector you need to be able to clearly state the value you bring, otherwise, how will anyone know how good you are? There is a need for you to show what an asset you can be to employers, they do not have the time to unearth your skills and general wonderfulness! Make it easy for them to see you.

Understand the value you bring and be sure you demonstrate to potential employers the value you can add to their business. It is for you to reach out rather than waiting (and waiting... ) for someone to notice you and snap you up for the job of your dreams. Think of the saying – waiting for your boat to come in and add, yes it will, but I may have to swim out to meet it. All too often on LinkedIn, I see comments like ‘looking for opportunities’ ‘open to offers’ or ‘I am skilled in… give me a call and let’s talk’ – these are not good messages. They are really saying –I want you to come and find me so I do not have to be bothered looking. How on earth would that be attractive to a potential employer?

Networking

Networking is a horrifying concept for many police officers, but don’t worry, we can take that pain away for you. I have a theory that many years spent being on the receiving of requests from others, many officers can be less than adept at reaching out and connecting with people and asking, appropriately, for support and guidance.

So, here are my tips, tried, tested and successful. Get onto LinkedIn if you are not there already. Connect with people you know and include everyone you have ever met, well the ones you like perhaps. We have a group on LinkedIn at https://www.

linkedin.com/groups/3933192 with over 8,000 members who are all former or serving police officers or staff – you probably know quite a few of them already. Go and join if you are not already in there, have a look at the other members and get connecting.

From there connect with siblings, cousins and friends outside of policing. You are looking to diversify and add something new through people already established in other sectors. Then connect with people who you share other LinkedIn groups with. Groups are a great way to learn all about the new sectors you are interested in – what are they talking about? What do the terms they use mean? Almost by osmosis, you will start to understand new industries and that will potentially be invaluable at interview. Reconnect with past colleagues and indeed bosses who have successfully moved on. I would suggest that to make things easier you say from the outset that you are not asking them for a job but can you buy them a coffee and pick their brain on how they did it? What problems did they face? What did they wish they had known?

Isolation

When you leave or are thinking of leaving, policing, even when you have frankly had enough, there will be a time of transition, a time when you may feel that isolated and miss the better parts of policing. However, you are not alone you just need to connect and build your new world.

You may have thoughts about being the only one not working this out, wondering if you really have anything to offer and perhaps even whether you secure a new role to leave policing or if you will you work again after retirement. These are common reflections and you are not alone in these thoughts, nor are you alone in wondering how you will work out what you need to do next to make things happen. Police into Private Sector is invaluable if you feel a bit at sea, but you have to reach out and connect. You are not supposed to just ‘know’ all this. You have been busy policing and this is an area of expertise you may not have needed to visit before – and now with technology, it looks entirely different year on year.

Beliefs about who would want you

Recently, a former officer said to me “of course the biggest problem is that people do not want to employ former police officers”. I was astounded – this, I would suggest is a myth that may be used to licence the less determined, less capable perhaps, to step away from attempting to secure a move with any real effort. If you are reading this, then that is not YOU! But equally, I am increasingly supporting officers who felt it would be a breeze and they would be snapped up after just mentioning they were looking for opportunities! Both of these beliefs are imposters – the truth lies in the middle.

It is true that some companies do not want to employ some police officers, but no more than that. Often companies have problems understanding how policing skills would fit into their business but that can be solved by you making it clear what you can do and demonstrating the value you bring through a well thought out application or CV. Many employers are keen on former officers who are usually, bright, engaged and keen to work hard.

You have nothing to prove

The good news is that you no longer need to present detailed evidence and proof. Say what you have done and what you have achieved as succinctly as possible, less is certainly more in this case. You absolutely need to mention achievements and be ready to offer more information (but not excruciating detail) in an interview. They will ask for more information on what they are interested in and you will not know exactly what they are looking for so do not try to guess by including everything about you in one CV. Equally please be yourself in the interview, by trying to present what you think they want to see (you will probably be wrong ) you will not secure the right fit for you – a role that suits your skills and style and will keep you happy and engaged.

HOW TO MOVE FORWARD

• Get a good first start (or make a fresh start if you are not succeeding yet). Be aware that if you send a CV once many companies will not let you send it again. So, make sure that your first application is of the very best standard. If you want the job and

your skills fit the specifications then make sure you offer the very best account of yourself as you can. Please do not be too cool to express your keenness. Energy and enthusiasm are attractive and often irresistible.

• Start to narrow down the areas you are interested in. Use LinkedIn to look at a few companies or roles and really explore them. You can always expand later or change direction. Just get started by looking around and let it develop – it is absolutely fine to not have a definitive view of your idea role when you start. Just get started.

• Learn how to use LinkedIn properly – there is so much useful information on the website and, of course, job adverts galore. It is as safe as life is, (please do not attach your CV to your LinkedIn profile!) and remember it is not social media, it is business media. Behave on there as you would in business and you will be fine. It will act as a shop front for you, a really good profile will show you are I.T. literate and indicate an understanding of modern business.

• Think of your pension, if you have one, as a poison chalice. It can serve as a reason not to push harder – after all, with a pension, you will not starve. However, this is more than being just about money, this is about a good standard of living and intellectual stimulation. You need to be determined and keen – push on it a little, a bit scary perhaps but isn’t that a fair price for a job that will engage and stimulate you and pay the bills? Perhaps ask yourself what action you would be willing to take if you needed the money to pay the electricity bill?

• Be open minded – you do not have to do what others have done. Think of companies you like the look of and investigate. There is a whole world of opportunities that you can access once you know how.

THINGS TO DO RIGHT NOW

If you get professional advice (and we are unequivocally the best for that!), make sure it is from someone who knows what they are talking about rather than just talking about what they ‘think’, find out what they actually know. What is their track record? How long have they been around? If you are talking to a professional they will not mind a bit, will not be offended and will entirely understand your questions. Please note that it is a universal truth that your CV read by your partner/mother/best friend will often receive a glowing response. They know how good you are and probably hear of your work in detail and so will mentally fill in the missing parts. The only exception is, of course, if they work in recruitment, as a career

coach or similar. Then, speaking from personal experience, they will often be painfully honest –this is good and will save you greater pain in the long term.

Speak to others who have successfully moved and listen to their story – but know that yours will be different – you have different skills and a different personal approach perhaps. And no, you do not need to be amazing at interviews – be authentic and do not overcompensate and you will shine.

Go carefully on signing up for training courses that promise too much. Assurances that you will absolutely get employment after ‘this’ course make no sense. Look at the qualifications held by those who are already in the roles you are interested in or look at the qualifications requested on LinkedIn and job websites. If there is something there that is within your reach, then make sure you get to a good provider and by all means, get learning. I would say, however, that I often speak to people who have spent a small fortune on courses that lead nowhere – this is fine if it is to boost confidence but not if the study was solely to improve employment prospects. Do not take on too much advice which is often well meaning but not based on any real expertise – everyone knows a little about a lot. You need to connect with those who know their art and have hunkered down and understood the requirements rather than jumping on the nearest bandwagon. Quick and easy is often very unsatisfying in the longer term, take this seriously and you will thrive.

LAST THOUGHTS

• It is never too early to start preparing. LinkedIn is brilliant but takes time. Contacts are fabulous but you need to build relationships before people will be able to help you.

• If you are on LinkedIn join the Police into Private Sector group and get talking and understand your next best moves. Again, lots of shared learning just waiting for you.

• Email us at pips@ PoliceintoPrivateSector.co.uk or telephone 01737 831700 and get direct, helpful and friendly support to get moving. We are here, offering all that you need to get moving forward from a bespoke CV and LinkedIn service to career coaching and interview prep.

Angela Hackett

Owner at Police into Private Sector

linkedin.com/in/angelahackett

What are the options for officers leaving the police force? Ex-police jobs

Leaving the police can be a hugely stressful time, no matter how long you’ve been with the force.

Whether you’ve decided the work isn’t right for you and are looking to move on after just a few years, or you’ve served for three decades or more but aren’t ready to retire just yet, taking the next step can be a daunting prospect.

Many former police officers may find themselves struggling with a lack of direction upon reentering the civilian workforce. It can be tricky to know which roles they’re best suited for, especially if it’s been a long time since they were in the civilian job market.

Moving away from a role in law enforcement represents a major career change for most people. The transition can be a bit of a culture shock, very similar to that experienced by those exiting the military. But while there is a government-run assistance programme for those leaving the armed forces in the form of the Career Transition Partnership (CTP), there is no such help available for police officers.

At SecurityClearedJobs, however, we have a wealth of experience and expertise in helping ex-police officers move into a new career. Through our Police Resettlement EXPO - which was created in order to offer similar help and advice as the CTP to people leaving the police service - we know exactly what employers are looking for and how to connect them with the right former officers.

WHAT JOBS DO POLICE OFFICERS TYPICALLY DO AFTER LEAVING THE POLICE?

There’s no typical career path for ex-police officers, but there are essentially three main options that you should consider if you’re leaving life in uniform. Some transition into the private sector, while many others continue in public service, either by continuing to work closely with the police in a civilian role or in other areas such as central government.

The opportunities offered by the private sector are almost endless, but ex-police officers may be

especially well-suited to companies that work with sensitive materials or maintain close relations with public sector organisations such as the government or military. These businesses often require their employees to hold strict security clearances that demand integrity. So, as a former officer, you may well have a substantial headstart on other applicants.

For those that do want to remain close to the policing positions they’ve held, agencies that work closely with the police include direct law enforcement bodies such as the National Crime Agency or Border Force, as well as central government departments like the Home Office or HM Revenue and Customs.

Find out more about what central government opportunities may be available for you.

WHY DO MANY POLICE OFFICERS PURSUE SECOND CAREERS?

Retired police officers are still often relatively young, even if they have a long and distinguished record of service. As such, many aren’t ready to settle down into traditional retirement and start collecting a pension just yet, but they do possess a wealth of skills and experiences that make them very valuable to employers.

Many former police officers are also keen to take on new challenges, improve their prospects for higher earnings or promotions, or just find a career that offers greater flexibility or fits their work-life balance better. Whatever your reasons for seeking something new, taking the plunge can be a tough, but exciting prospect.

HOW DO YOU TRANSITION FROM THE POLICE INTO THE PRIVATE SECTOR SUCCESSFULLY?

Moving into the private sector is often a highly attractive option, especially because of the potential for higher salaries. However, the transition from the highly rigid structure of a police department to the business world can present a steep learning curve.

To do this successfully, you’ll need to embrace change and be prepared to learn new things. Skills such as professional networking will be essential to this, especially if you’re looking to set yourself up as a contractor.

Do your homework about the industry and roles you’re considering and be ready to adapt. The corporate world is more agile and fast-moving than life in the police - if you aren’t prepared for this, you’ll struggle to progress in your new career. Find out more about careers for people with security clearances.

HOW MIGHT YOUR CAREER PROGRESS AS A FORMER POLICE OFFICER?

A good way to progress your career is by looking for roles that require high levels of security clearance. If you already hold one or more clearances from your time in the police, this can be a significant advantage, but even if you don’t,

TRANSFERABLE SKILLS AN EX-POLICE OFFICER CAN BRING TO A JOB

Over your career in policing, you’ll have developed a wide range of experiences that will prove highly valuable to other employers in both the private and public sectors. These skills and traits will help you find a new position and stand out from other applicants without your background, but also enable you to excel going forward in whatever role you decide is right for you.

the standards of integrity and trustworthiness demanded of police personnel mean you’re likely to be approved for any such clearances, giving potential employers more peace of mind. These clearances offer you access to a large range of exciting and lucrative roles in many industries, and can quickly enable you to climb the career ladder and take advantage of opportunities that may not have been available to you in the force.

WHAT ARE EXAMPLES OF TRANSFERABLE SKILLS HELD BY POLICE OFFICERS?

There are a wide variety of skills you’ll have developed over the years that will lend themselves well to many jobs when leaving the police, and not all of them may be the obvious ones you’d expect recruiters to be interested in.

For example, while specialist detective talents such as investigative skills, problemsolving, research and the ability to analyse data for patterns or anomalies will all be highly useful in a range of jobs, they are far from the only policing skills that can be easily transferred to other areas.

The ability to communicate and engage directly and professionally with the public, for example, is a much rarer skill than you might

think, yet it’s essential to being a successful police officer and comes up again and again across multiple different sectors.

Other skills that will stand you in good stead whatever sector you enter next include:

• Collaboration and teamwork

• Determination and resilience

• Working under high pressure

• Leadership

• Multitasking

WHAT SHOULD YOU PUT ON YOUR CV AS A FORMER POLICE OFFICER?

Having a range of highly transferrable skills from your career in the police force is a great start, but it’s important to ensure you’re highlighting your talents effectively. While many employers will recognise the benefits of hiring retired police officers, others may need a bit of help to understand the unique opportunities they can offer to their business.

Highlight the parts of your job that will be directly transferable, and make sure you don’t get too focused on the details of specific duties or use jargon that recruiters might not understand. This language may be second nature to you, but employers are likely to be unfamiliar with things like police acronyms.

Be especially sure to highlight any particular achievements, such as promotions or investigations you played a leading role inthese tell employers how you personally make a difference.

Also, don’t forget to tailor your CV to the position you’re applying for. For example, if you’re looking for a role in personal protection, emphasise your knowledge of law enforcement procedures, whereas focusing on your investigation skills is useful if you’re looking at intelligence or fraud analysis roles.

Find out more about the types of security clearances you could be eligible for with police experience.

HOW TO FIND COMPANIES LOOKING FOR EX-POLICE OFFICERS

Finding employers for ex-police roles may seem like a challenge. Unlike when leaving the military, there’s no formal version of the Armed Forces Covenant that employers can sign up for in order to demonstrate their commitment to supporting these personnel. However, turning to online resources that specialise in jobs for ex-police service personnel and attending job fairs such as SecurityClearedJobs’ Police Resettlement EXPO can greatly help connect newly-retired police officers with companies who are keen to find these individuals.

WHAT ARE SOME POSSIBLE CAREER PATHS FOR FORMER POLICE OFFICERS AND CRIMINAL INVESTIGATORS?

If you’re looking to make the most of your technical skills, career

paths that are particularly useful for ex-police staff may include:

• Civilian investigators

• Crime analysts

• Support and outreach workers

• Digital forensics examiners

• Security consultants

However, you shouldn’t feel limited to only roles that align closely with the activities you performed as a serving police officer. Any jobs that require skills such as attention to detail, perseverance or working with the public will offer great opportunities for professional policing leavers.

For example, another increasingly popular option is to retrain in an area such as cyber security. These roles are in especially high demand at the moment, and there is a significant shortage of people with the right skills.

Many of the skills you already have will have a lot of overlap with those needed to succeed in this sector, so even if you don’t have an especially technical background, you may like to consider this as a way of turning your talents into a new area.

Find out more about jobs in cyber security that could be your perfect new career.

WHICH INDUSTRIES HIRE FORMER POLICE OFFICERS?

There are many sectors that are keen to take on former police personnel, especially for roles in areas such as fraud investigations and cyber security. Sectors that are especially eager to hire people with police backgrounds include:

• Defence

• Aerospace

• Government

• Finance

• IT

• Private security

If you’ve got a long service record with no history of misconduct, you’ll also be in an excellent position to obtain any security clearances that these sectors may require, which will make you very attractive to potential employers.

WHERE CAN EX-POLICE OFFICERS LOOK ONLINE TO FIND JOB OPPORTUNITIES?

Using a specialised job board with a strong track record of assisting people leaving the uniformed services is a great way to find roles that are well-suited to the experiences you’ve picked up in the police. Signing up to receive a job alert when suitable roles come up is also a great way to find a position.

Employers trust that the potential candidates they find using these sites will not only offer the skills they need, but also have a high level of integrity and dependability. This means the positions you can find on sites such as SecurityClearedJobs. com are often especially suited to ex-police personnel.

You should also consider attending dedicated job fairs or recruitment expos that are tailored specifically to these personnel. Again, this is a great way to connect directly with organisations that recognise the value these individuals provide, while you can also get great advice on how to successfully make the transition to civilian jobs, from what to include on your resumé to the best interview techniques.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT JOB FAIRS FOR PERSONNEL LEAVING THE POLICE FORCE

Ex police veterans

Former police officers that have also worked in the armed forces may find they can get additional support. If this is you, make sure you apply for a veterans ID card to access all of the services available.

The veterans ID card in the UK will demonstrate your eligibility for things like the ex servicemen housing scheme and attendance at a veterans career fair.

The next steps

SecurityClearedJobs.com is the largest job board in the UK that caters for vacancies with a level of security clearance. Candidates can upload a copy of their CV to the site and register to receive alerts for relevant jobs.

However, it’s important to understand clearly what your next steps are, especially if you have been with the police for many years. Selection processes for many positions may be very different from what you’re used to, so be prepared to adjust your plans and expectations accordingly.

For instance, having a strong, well-written CV is a must, but don’t be tempted to overdo it. It can be easy for experienced officers to go into great detail about their careers and achievements, but this is not what many hiring managers are looking for. Keep it as concise as possible and tailored to the skills and experience the individual employer is looking forthere’ll be opportunities to expand on this at the interview stage.

It pays to plan ahead and have a clear idea of what you want to do before you leave the police service. What sector or type of work most appeals to you? Are you looking for shift work or something more fixed? How can you make the best use of your acquired skills and security clearances?

Making sure you have the answers to these questions as early as possible will stand you in good stead for the next step in your career, whatever that may be.

You can view our latest jobs here or find out more information on how we work at www.

SecurityClearedJobs.com

Security Cleared Jobs is pleased to be partnering with Blue Light Leavers as a company that can provide valuable assistance to those

TYPES OF JOBS FOR EX-POLICE OFFICERS

The types of jobs available for former police officers can vary greatly, so there are a lot of opportunities to advance in a new career that you’re passionate about. Whether or not you end up directly using the skills and experiences you picked up in the force, the integrity and trustworthiness that comes with your position will be highly valuable to many employers.

looking to leave the police service.

After serving for 30 years in mainly frontline operational roles as a PC and Sergeant, as he approached the end of his service aged 48, Andy Labrum, the founder of Blue Light Leavers, was really unsettled and worried about life after policing as this was all he’d known. He successfully transitioned to a new role as a project manager, later went freelance as lead IT business change manager and became the platform lead for modern workplace technology for ASOS. He is now an IT consultant, having worked alongside the likes of Microsoft, Oracle, PwC, EY, Afiniti and others, operating in national infrastructure, local government and both the public and private sectors.

Hearing he’d successfully transitioned to a new career, Andy was approached by friends and ex-colleagues who needed guidance and support moving into new careers, both mid-service and upon retirement. Due to his success in helping them successfully apply for and understand how to translate their skills and experience to new roles, word-of-mouth referrals led to more and more enquiries until Blue Light Leavers was created to support and guide on a much larger scale. It now has members from the UK, Ireland, North America, Australia and many more countries. Andy delivers support and guidance, including free clarity calls to CV and cover letter guidance, in-person and online transition courses, interview prep, 1-2-1 bespoke career mentoring and has a podcast audience across 64 countries.

Unlike other post-policing ‘resettlement experts’, Andy is still in full-time employment in the corporate world, interviews regularly for roles and interviews others and understands exactly what you are up against in today’s job market.

Learn more at www.BlueLightLeavers.com

Service to Self Employment ...With Support

Life upon leaving police service can present many challenges, not least of which is what to do next professionally.

With general salary levels still relatively stagnant, and if the thought of going into a 9-to-5 seems a little mundane after life in the force, one option to take a look at is running your own business. A franchise could be the way for you to be your own boss after police life.

HOW DOES FRANCHISING WORK?

A franchisee owns their own business; they are legally and financially responsible for its operation, growth and any employees.

A franchise is the granting of a license by a company (the franchisor) to another (the franchisee), which entitles the franchisee to own and operate their own business under the brand, systems and proven business model of the franchisor.

That business is part of a network of companies operating under the same brand, which is owned by the franchisor. For example, if you walk into a Subway store, while the brand is the same worldwide, the business is actually owned by a local person, the franchisee. There is a huge range of options, from cars to home care to property to trades to digital marketing, and everything in between.

In return for an initial fee and ongoing royalties, a franchisee operates using the business model, support and systems of the franchisor. That means there’s a way of running the business, which has been proven to be

successful, in which you will be comprehensively trained. That will include being shown how to grow your business over time.

It also means that if you need help with marketing, with accounts, with an employee – in fact, with just about anything – then you can call or email someone with the experience to help. Think of it as self-employment with support: your business, but with other franchisees and experienced staff to call on when you need them.

IS IT FOR ME?

You might be surprised how many skills you’ve picked up in service that are perfectly suited to running your own business.

Dedication, hard work ethic, the ability to follow a system and procedures, leadership, problemsolving, team work... do these sound like familiar traits? Because they’re exactly the types of qualities that franchisors want.

Add in self-motivation, self-discipline, initiative and the attitude to succeed and you have a background tailor-made to be your own boss within the franchise sector – and one that brings a completely different set of skills to other prospective candidates.

And your familiarity with the concept of multiple points of command and structure all working towards a common goal is not to be overlooked either – because a successful franchise network, with individual business owners, employees, head office and support staff, works in a similar way.

Because good franchising offers you training and support, it’s these kinds of transferrable skills that are looked for and desirable in a franchisee. Franchisors have to be very careful about who they take on as franchisees – they have a brand and reputation to protect and grow – so people with the right mind set and skill set are very much in demand.

That also means that you can do things that suit you, not that you necessarily have experience in. Led a team before? You could start a homecare business, a consultancy franchise, a commercial cleaning company, a catering empire, a property agency… or a huge amount of other options.

Maybe you’re more practical and hands-on by nature? There’s a host of vehicle franchises from tools and products to repairs, valeting or gardening that make use of those skills, alongside pet care businesses, children’s sports and activities, engineering and technical opportunities.

You can be taught how to run a business, as daunting as it may seem if you haven’t done it before, and that’s what a franchisor will help with. But you can’t be taught self-motivation or passion, so if you can bring those to the table then running your own franchise business could be your perfect next step.

NO BUSINESS EXPERIENCE? NO WORRIES

As mentioned, any franchise worth joining offers significant initial and ongoing training and support, and someone at hand to contact when you have a query or need help.

This training and support takes on many different forms according to the needs of the franchisee, but the idea is that it complements your personal skills and supports you in areas where you may be weaker. No marketing experience? No problem. Don’t know your P&L from your cash flow? Business ownership and administration help is available. Available support is just one of many reasons why under 4% of franchise businesses commercially fail each year, and around 90% of franchisees have reported profit for over 20 years consecutively. There’s a considerably higher success rate than going it alone offers.

SYSTEM FOR SUCCESS

Franchisors produce an operations manual, which outlines the steps to follow to reproduce the business success of the model you have invested in. Replicating the operational procedures in a franchise similarly equips you for the day-to-day tasks involved in running your business; the difference being of course that this time around, you are the boss!

The manual can also be an invaluable tool to go with the variety you’ll encounter as a franchisee. It can be the case that working in a conventional employed role, for example in an office-based job, is somewhat of a disappointing contrast with the day-to-day life of the police force. Taking on your own franchise gives you variation and the motivation to succeed –and reap the rewards for yourself. Don’t just take our word for it – here are two businesses, one set up by a former detective, that highlight the diversity of businesses in franchising and why those leaving the force can be ideally suited business ownership.

Dectecting a new business oppurtunity

Jenny Williams left her role as a detective to set up her own business, using the skills she’d learned over her career to bring crime scene investigations to children and corporate events…and now she’s looking for more people leaving the force to do the same!

WHAT IS YOUR BUSINESS?

The Detective Project is an events company providing crime scene investigation workshops for adults and children. We empower teams to step into a detective’s shoes, whether that is for a kid’s party, a school workshop or a powerful team-building event for adults.

WHAT WAS YOUR BACKGROUND BEFORE SETTING UP THE DETECTIVE PROJECT?

I was a police detective for 14 years in the Metropolitan and Avon & Somerset Police. I joined straight from school and never intended to leave – until I was bitten by the entrepreneurial bug!

HAS IT BEEN DIFFICULT TO DRAW ON YOUR EXPERIENCES AND TRANSLATE THEM INTO A CHILD-FRIENDLY FORMAT?

Not at all, I started running children’s parties when my kids were small, so I used them as my guinea pigs! My husband is a teacher so has helped adapt the workshops for the school curriculum and the adults & team building events grew out of the parents seeing my events and wanting to have a go themselves.

WHAT FACTORS LED YOU TO LAUNCH THE BUSINESS, AND THEN FRANCHISE IT?

I ran my son’s 8th birthday party as a crime scene, and had a ‘lightbulb’ moment when I realised there was a gap in the market for this type of event.

I did a little local advertising and the bookings rolled in. The schools work followed on quickly and one day the teachers at a school asked me to run their staff training day which went brilliantly – so the adult events were born. I love the variety of workshops we offer and that greatly appeals to franchisees - we’re not dependent on one core market and are able to host events for an extremely wide market.

I knew I wanted to grow the business and while researching the options I met some franchise consultants that I clicked with. It made perfect sense to train up skilled presenters to replicate my successful model. I’m ambitious for the business and franchising is the perfect way to expand.

WAS IT SCARY GOING FROM A SECURE JOB TO STARTING OUT ON YOUR OWN?

I think it was more scary thinking that I was only ever going to be a ‘small cog in a big machine’. I took a career break when I had my children and joined a network marketing business (to keep me in haircuts and clothes). I loved the freedom it gave me to work hard, set my own targets and reap the rewards. I decided then that I wanted to be in charge of my work/life balance.

DOES THAT RECENT EXPERIENCE, PLUS YOUR FORMER WORK AND BEING A PARENT, PROVIDE YOU WITH PARTICULAR INSIGHT INTO SUPPORTING YOUR FRANCHISEES?

Of course, I enjoy nurturing a team, structuring training to suit the individuals and then setting them free to flourish. Franchising is definitely working for yourself, but not by yourself. My role is

to make sure the franchisees are well equipped to do the best they can, I take pride in their achievements. It is a huge step entering the world of selfemployment and I want to support franchisees to do their very best.

DOES BEING SUCH AN UNUSUAL OPERATION HELP YOUR FRANCHISEES IN WINNING NEW BUSINESS?

We certainly stand out from the crowd! Our workshops are very original and the company story does get us attention which is great, but it is up to us to run really high quality events - I always say that we’re only as good as our last workshop. Most events are booked through word of mouth or from testimonials, which I’m really proud of.

DO FRANCHISEES NEED A SCIENCE BACKGROUND?

They don’t need a science degree but they need to evidence a passion for forensics and investigation, and not just from the TV! Ideally franchisees will either have a teaching, police or presenting background. As franchisees can come from an extremely wide variety of backgrounds, we tailor training to meet their individual needs. As the team grows the variety of skills and expertise will be shared with each other during our training sessions.

NAME THREE ATTRIBUTES YOU LOOK FOR IN YOUR FRANCHISEES?

1. Positivity: their glass needs to be half-full.

2. Enthusiasm: our events are often the highlight of the year for our customers.

3. High standards: in both their presenting and approach to business.

www.peelsolutions.co.uk