Investing in a diverse police force
The police force has a wide variety of roles that offer individuals the chance to make a real difference in the community by reducing crime, protecting the public, and ensuring safety.
Some of the challenging yet rewarding careers available in West Yorkshire Police were introduced to a group of Year 12-13 students as part of Go Higher West Yorkshire’s (GHWY) unique ‘Go Higher in… Day.’
Delivered in partnership with West Yorkshire Police, the event sought to raise awareness of career pathways and policing jobs, which cover roles as diverse as frontline officers and community engagement.
It was organised in response to the need to develop a local pipeline of young and diverse recruits into the police. A force that represents the communities it serves is crucial to building trust and better serving its needs, as well as enhancing problem-solving within law enforcement.
Talks and practical workshops
The event, hosted at Leeds Trinity University, was supported and delivered by a wide range of inspirational academics and staff from across West Yorkshire Police.
Students from four West Yorkshire schools and colleges took part in a series of employer and academic led workshops that explored policing careers, progression pathways, entry requirements and the application process, and skills required for the force. Activities included:
- A case study that gave students the opportunity to explore criminal justice and how an individual’s personal history, such as being care experienced, can affect life choices.
- Undertaking a ‘beep test’, which is a fitness test that involves running between two points in time with a series of progressively faster beeps. This is used by many police forces to assess an individual’s fitness level.
- The chance to handle ‘evidence’, including the cast of a footprint and a fractured skull, during a Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) session that tasked students to use their analytical skills.
- A practical task in which students were asked to prioritise five real-life police incidents and to explain their rationale.
Increased knowledge and awareness
Preliminary analysis of learner survey results show that they have an increased understanding of what it is like to work in policing industries after attending the event (24.1% pre-event, increasing to 72% post-event).
They also report an increased understanding of what skills are needed to work in the police after attending the event (45.2% pre-event, rising to 89.7% post-event).
The event was well received by attendees. One student said that it, “helped me better understand the various jobs in policing and has helped me to have a better understanding of what’s open to me.”
The event was also well received by employers. Senior Crime Scene Practitioner Claire Nuttall said: “It’s important to show students that policing is more accessible than they think. We also need to get across to them that those doing the roles are passionate about it and want to do the best for the public.”
Sergeant Adam Worthington stressed the need to recruit young people to ensure that, “the police force is representative of the societies it’s serving. It needs people who have adaptable skillsets and who can modernise how the police force works.”
Upcoming events
GHWY will team up with West Yorkshire Combined Authority to deliver one more Go Higher in… event in 2024-25 focusing on the growing industry sector of digital media. Guided by Local Skills Improvement Plans (LSIPs), it will provide students with high quality and meaningful experiences of the workplace. It will also offer insights into progression pathways, employer interactions, and real-life skills development.
GHWY will also continue its long running partnership with West Yorkshire Police and deliver another Go Higher in Policing event in 2025-26.
Go Higher in Day case studies
Read the case studies from our 2024-25 events:
