It's National Apprenticeship Week

This week, we’re recognising the commitment and positive impact that our apprentices have working with Lincolnshire Police during National Apprenticeship Week.

Our academy apprentices work across the organisation in various roles to provide support to various departments, including Firearms Licensing, Corporate Communications, Crime Management Bureau and Human Resources. They are given the opportunity to learn about the world of policing, gain valuable transferrable skills and knowledge, whilst studying for a nationally recognised Level 3 Qualification in Business Administration.

Mike Johnson, our Apprenticeship Lead, said: “Our Apprenticeship Academy is a great way for those aged 18-plus who want to earn a salary while gaining hands-on experience and formal recognised qualification, rather than going into further education or university.

"For National Apprenticeship Week we are proud to focus on our six Academy Apprentices who all started in July last year and making excellent progress with their formal qualifications. The six are now into their second departmental placement in the force and have already established themselves with colleagues who are budding them to gain valuable in-house training. Individually, they are learning a range of new skills first-hand and it's fantastic to see them all developing their own confidence and team presentation skills.”

"Throughout NAW they will be instrumental in promoting the value of apprenticeships with training providers, schools, colleges and with the East Midlands Apprenticeship Ambassadors Network as they will also be taking part in a “Bake Off” competition with other industry and public sector apprentices."

Here’s what our apprentices had to say.

Millie Johnstone

I applied for the apprenticeship scheme after having a previous full-time role elsewhere, this shows you don’t necessarily have to be straight out of a schooling or college environment to apply, I wanted to continue with education in some form and this was the perfect opportunity to do so.

Whilst on the programme I’ve been able to experience the staff side of policing at the headquarters, but I have also had the honour of gaining valuable experiencing of front-line policing. These have included a ride-along day where I was able to join response officers, visit the custody suite and the Force control room where they deal with 999 and 101 calls.

Everyone I’ve had the pleasure of meeting has been very welcoming, and you really do feel like one of the Lincolnshire police family!

Aimee Wiles

At the start of my apprenticeship journey, I entered Crime Management Bureau (CMB), where they made me feel so welcome. I was given a full informative talk on what the job entails – such as delving into our databases, checking criminal records, and reading and classifying incidents – and the team then got me straight into learning.

Within these past few months, I have tackled challenges in taking on a role I had no experience in, and as a result I feel I have experienced significant personal growth. This comes from the lessons learned on the job, as well as also from the skills that I have acquired, but mainly taking on this challenge of a work-based apprenticeship.
Overall, I’m so grateful for this experience; it has been great to be able to learn on the job at the same time as completing the qualification.

For anyone reading this thinking of starting an apprenticeship, my best advice would be to just do it, push yourself out your comfort zone, and be part of something really rewarding.

Izzy Houldershaw 

I have spent time in the Firearms Licensing Department and Information Management Unit, learning to adapt to these different environments. While learning a completely new job has been exciting, it has also been challenging. Each department has its own unique demands, and adapting to these varied roles has been an invaluable part of my growth.

Beyond the technical skills I’ve acquired, this apprenticeship has been a journey of personal growth. I’ve learned the importance of time management, effective communication, and resilience. There have been moments where I doubted myself, but pushing through those doubts has been incredibly rewarding. Each milestone—no matter how small—has felt like a victory.

To anyone considering an apprenticeship or embarking on their own journey, my advice is simple: be curious, be resilient, and don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone. Age does not matter; apprenticeships can be for anyone who is willing and wants to learn.

Molly Parker

I decided to go down an apprenticeship route after I finished sixth form because I thought this would be really beneficial for my future career. It has allowed me to gain experience in a range of departments within a police force and also have exposure to the workplace from a young age, while earning a wage.

The first department that I had the opportunity to be part of was the Corporate Communications department which I found a really enjoyable and valuable experience. I worked a lot on the social media for the Force which involved photography, videography and editing skills which I feel have improved drastically since working in this role. This is definitely something which I would like to continue in the future and the skills and knowledge I gained in Comms will be invaluable.

Caitlin Dawson

My first month in admin as police staff, I was in Witness Care, this is where I first learnt you have no idea what a department does until you’re in it. My second month, I rotated into Prosecutions where I got more acquainted with operating systems such as Niche, I got to see more of the process before court that’s more focussed on the perpetrator/suspect.

Over the next 4 months, I was rotated into Traffic Process Unit, this is where I started to be more independent, and I was also able to participate in activities such as a day where we get to learn about other departments such as Serious Collisions and Major Crime and a ride along day where I shadowed a Response Officer.
My first 6 months here have shown me how incredibly unique this job is especially with the encouragement to experience different areas of policing so we can have a better understanding of how our role fits and how it can impact everyone else.

Seb Kitts

I joined Lincolnshire Police as an apprentice following my completion of the BA Professional Policing degree at Lincoln College. The reason I joined was due to a desire to have a career with the police but not knowing exactly what I wanted to do.

My advice if you’re thinking of doing an apprenticeship is to try to keep an open mind and stick with it. The first couple of weeks will always be the hardest because it’s a lot of information at once, but once you get comfortable it no longer feels like a job, and it becomes an enjoyable learning experience.

I started in my first department which was IMU (Information management Unit) and I’m currently in Firearms Licensing (FAL). My highlights so far have been being able to experience a day out with a response officer going to various places and incidents, watching a training exercise with a taser, and doing Secret Santa with my peers and cheeky chips with them.

As we adapt and grow our Apprenticeship Academy model, we are unable to give a date when the application process will open for our next intake. If you're interested about the Apprenticeship Academy, find out more here.