NEW police recruits will begin studying for a degree at Hosforth’s Leeds Trinity University next year.

Three hundred West Yorkshire Police officers (WYP) are being recruited under a new training pathway which requires all officers to hold a degree.

From spring, 2020 the trainees will be complete a Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship at Leeds Trinity while being mentored by experienced officers at WYP’s Learning and Development Centre at Carr Gate, Wakefield.

The recruits will be paid as police officers from day one, with all of the university fees being met by the force.

Professor Margaret A House OBE, Vice-Chancellor at Leeds Trinity University, said: “We have always been committed to transforming lives and benefitting our local community so we are very proud to work with West Yorkshire Police on training the next cohort of police constables.

“We have developed a programme of policing that is relevant, inspiring and impactful and we’re looking forward to welcoming the first cohort of police apprentices next year.”

The first trainee officers will be appointed to the apprenticeship programme next April, with the recruitment window opening in July, 2019.

Anyone interested in applying can register their interest online at www.westyorkshire.police.uk/pc-registration-of-interest , so they will be notified when recruitment opens.

The force is particularly keen to recruit officers from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds to better represent the communities it serves.

Assistant Chief Constable Angela Wiliams said: “It is a really exciting time to join the force and our new recruitment pathway will give budding police officers the chance to ‘earn while they learn’. This is a great opportunity for anyone who has ever considered becoming a police officer to join us and see what an exciting and rewarding role it is.

“I have been a police officer here in West Yorkshire for 28 years and I can honestly say I’ve loved every moment. Every shift is different and challenging, but also rewarding.”

In addition to the Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship Leeds Trinity is also to deliver a new Degree Holder Entry Programme to allow those who already hold a non-policing degree to complete a two-year course to become a qualified police officer.

From September, 2020 the University will also be running a BA Professional Policing undergraduate degree programme.

Police officer applicants should be 18 or over, have no criminal convictions and be able to pass a job-related fitness test.