Case studies: Police officer: Stuart

Stuart completed a BSc in Physics (first class) and undertook a variety of jobs in pubs as well as a graduate technical role with a major manufacturing company before applying to the police service.

On a day-to-day basis I do everything that you would expect me to do as a police officer. I hadn't realised before I started how important is the ability just to talk to people on a daily basis. I spent a couple of years working in pubs, which means I can speak to anybody and I am well used to dealing with all of society.

There is a strong teamwork element to my role, which makes me dependent not just on the knowledge of others but on their physical presence in difficult situations. With the public I have to listen well, talk comfortably to all kinds of people and be thoroughly approachable.

It helps to be inquisitive and decisive when it comes to making decisions. I was used to working for people and taking orders from others and that certainly is required. My job would be impossible without flexibility - not just a flexible attitude but a willingness to locate geographically wherever my force requires me to be.

My unsocial working hours in pubs also helped me to prepare for the shift system, which sees us cover the 24-hour day over a five-week rota. I work up to a ten-hour day and can be called in for special duties or at times of operational emergency.

I had a good knowledge of policing before I joined, through family and friends in the service, but I spent time preparing well for the application. I am quite sporty, which helped with the physical assessments and medical. I also talked to serving officers and purchased books, which allowed me to practise the psychometric tests, which are a key part of the application in the force that I joined.

I value my role as a police officer and the opportunities that it brings. My previous graduate position with a major manufacturer - despite the opportunities it afforded to travel and train for a highly technical role - was too desk based and repetitive. Now, every single day can be different, or routine and sometimes very dangerous but always challenging.

I love the opportunity to take on a vast array of roles which would never be possible in a civilian organisation and to progress through a clearly defined promotion structure should I prove to be good enough. The training I have received has been quite brilliant, enhancing my life skills as well as my ability to do my job well. There are of course some downsides: the shifts can be tiring and it can have an effect on family life and of course it can be a very dangerous job. It's still fabulously rewarding.