Hannah England
BSc (Hons) Criminology and Forensic Investigation
I absolutely loved the course and I miss it. I have been having chemotherapy to treat blood cancer throughout my course and Angela, my tutor, has been so supportive.
Swipe right to explore the sector
Step into Public Services
If you are aiming for a career where you can make a real difference, this subject area offers a clear and focused starting point. You will explore pathways into careers such as the police, armed forces, fire and rescue service, ambulance service and prison service, while beginning to build the skills these roles demand.
This is a strong choice if you are motivated, enjoy working with others and want a role with purpose. You will develop discipline, confidence and teamwork, while gaining a clear understanding of how public services operate and what employers expect.
What learning feels like
Your learning blends knowledge with practical experience. You will take part in realistic scenarios, leadership activities and fitness training that reflect real situations in the sector. Along the way, you will build resilience, communication skills and the ability to stay focused under pressure.
Facilities and support
You will learn in specialist environments designed to reflect real settings, including a mock prison cell, CCTV investigation centre and a major incident training area. A modern gym supports your fitness development, helping you prepare for the physical demands of public service roles. You will also benefit from employer input through guest speakers and visits, giving you valuable insight into careers in public services.
Where this could lead
You will develop the skills, knowledge and confidence to progress into higher level study, apprenticeships or employment. Whether you already know what you want to do or are still exploring careers in public services, this subject area gives you a supportive and realistic route into your future.
Student Success Stories
Celebrating Success 2026: Public Services Student of the Year – Michael Knowlson
Entry to the Uniformed Public Services Level 3 Diploma
I’m studying Level 3 and I’m so pleased I chose this over A levels. The tutors are great and I really enjoyed the course. The trip to Thriftwood was absolutely amazing. Winning this award feels great, I’m so excited. I want to join the Army in December, in the Royal Engineers.
Jake Squirrel
Level 2 Public Services and Level 2 Applied Science
The staff were supportive, and I always felt encouraged, especially by the additional learning support team, who helped me manage challenges and stay focused on my studies.
Our Courses
Level 2 Diploma in Preparation for Public Services
Level 1 Diploma for Entry to the Uniformed Services
Level 3 Extended Diploma for Entry to the Uniformed Services
BTEC Higher National Certificate in Public Services (Policing Pathway)
Civil Service Academy (Online)
Helping shape your career pathway
Scroll through the job areas to learn more about each pathway
Officers in Armed Forces
£0
Entry Level Salary
£0
Average Salary
£0
Potential Salary
Daily Tasks
- Plans, directs and administers aid to civilian authorities as requested or when faced with civil disorder, natural disaster or other emergency.
- Supervises the operation of military units and monitors the activities of junior officers, NCOs and other ranks.
- Plans, directs and co-ordinates military training and manoeuvres.
- Advises and provides information on military aspects of defence policy.
Senior Police Officers
£41,724
Entry Level Salary
£62,656.49
Average Salary
£150,839.99
Potential Salary
Daily Tasks
- Directs and co-ordinates the operation of record keeping systems and the preparation of reports.
- Establishes contacts and sources of information concerning crimes planned or committed.
- Directs and monitors the work of subordinate officers.
- Plans, directs and co-ordinates general policing for an area or functional unit.
- Liaises with senior officers to determine staff, financial and other short- and long-term needs.
Senior Officers in Fire, Ambulance, Prison and Related Services
£32,058
Entry Level Salary
£53,752.23
Average Salary
£129,403.77
Potential Salary
Daily Tasks
- Revenue and customs, excise and immigration officers advise on the interpretation of regulations concerning taxes, duties and immigration requirements and enforce these regulations through monitoring of premises, examining goods entering the country to ensure correct duty is paid and establishing that passengers have the necessary authorisation for crossing national borders.
- Prison officers interview prisoners on arrival and discharge/departure, receive reports on disciplinary problems and decide on appropriate action, make periodic checks on internal and external security, and provide care and support to prisoners in custody.
- Ambulance officers plan, organise, direct and co-ordinate the activities of ambulance personnel and control room assistants, for the provision of ambulance services for emergency and non-emergency cases.
- Fire officers plan, direct and co-ordinate an operational plan for one or more fire stations, attend fires and other emergencies to minimise danger to property and people, arrange for the salvaging of goods, immediate temporary repairs and security measures for fire damaged premises as necessary.
- Advises on the recruitment, training and monitoring of staff.
- Prepares reports for insurance companies, the Home Office, Scottish Home and Health Department, and other bodies as necessary.
- Liaises with other senior officials and/or government departments to determine staffing, financial and other short- and long-term needs.
Probation Officers
£27,108
Entry Level Salary
£43,155.26
Average Salary
£58,485.67
Potential Salary
Daily Tasks
- Keeps accurate and comprehensive records.
- Works with prisoners in giving advice on problems such as drug and alcohol abuse, addressing training needs, finding work and getting accommodation.
- Draws up probation plans with offenders and helps them follow it, advises them on any work and helps them with any family or social problems.
- Enforces court orders and serves the public by providing a wide range of supervision programmes for those in receipt of a community sentence.
- Produces pre-sentence reports to the court about an individual’s crime, their personal circumstances, the suitability of sentencing, the likelihood of re-offending and the future risk to the public.
NCOs and Other Ranks
£0
Entry Level Salary
£0
Average Salary
£0
Potential Salary
Daily Tasks
- Leads and trains new recruits and lower ranks, looks after their discipline and welfare.
- Patrols areas of possible military activity.
- Undertakes specialist activities such as operating communications equipment, driving military vehicles.
- Trains and exercises using various military equipment and tactics.
- Stands watch and guards military establishments and other buildings.
- Engages in peacekeeping operations and enforces ceasefire agreements.
- Takes part in military operations in situations of conflict and provides aid if required in emergency situations such as civil disorder, natural disasters and major accidents.
- Monitors, operates, services and repairs military equipment.
- Receives and responds to commands from senior officers.
Police Officers (Sergeant and Below)
£28,458
Entry Level Salary
£48,045
Average Salary
£68,031.45
Potential Salary
Daily Tasks
- Gives evidence in court cases.
- Works on station reception desk and or in communications room.
- Prepares briefs or reports for senior officers.
- Attends accidents.
- Interviews suspects, takes statements from witnesses and stops, searches and/or arrests suspects.
- Investigates complaints, crimes, accidents, any suspicious activities or other incidents.
- Directs and controls traffic or crowds at demonstrations and large public events.
- Receives instructions from senior officers and patrols an assigned area on foot, horseback, motorcycle, motor car or boat to check security and enforce regulations.
Fire Service Officers (Watch Manager and Below)
£29,106
Entry Level Salary
£44,351
Average Salary
£64,631.53
Potential Salary
Daily Tasks
- Supervises a watch.
- Advises on fire safety measures in new buildings.
- Attends and deals with bomb alerts and accidents involving spillage of hazardous substances.
- Removes goods from fire damaged premises, clears excess water, makes safe any structural hazards and takes any other necessary steps to reduce damage to property.
- Rescues people or animals trapped by fire or other emergency situations such as flooding and administers first aid.
- Operates hose pipes, ladders, chemical, foam, gas or powder fire extinguishing appliances.
- Travels to fire or other emergency by vehicle and locates water mains if necessary.
- Arranges fire drills and tests alarm systems and equipment.
- Inspects premises to identify potential fire hazards and to check that firefighting equipment is available and in working order and that statutory fire safety regulations are met.
Prison Service Officers (Below Principal Officer)
£18,468
Entry Level Salary
£33,444.13
Average Salary
£48,737.24
Potential Salary
Daily Tasks
- Reports on prisoners’ conduct as necessary.
- Trains and supervises prison staff.
- Provides care and support to prisoners in custody including prevention of self-harm.
- Runs prisoner rehabilitation and support programmes.
- Escorts prisoners transferred from one institution to another.
- Investigates disturbances or any other unusual occurrences.
- Guards entrances and perimeter walls.
- Watches for any infringements of regulations and searches prisoners and cells for weapons, drugs and other contraband items.
- Escorts prisoners to and from cells and supervises them during meals, recreation and visiting periods.
Police Community Support Officers
£22,302
Entry Level Salary
£28,653
Average Salary
£46,717.11
Potential Salary
Daily Tasks
- May direct traffic and arrange for vehicles to be removed.
- May detain someone pending the arrival of a police officer.
- Provides crime prevention advice and helps to support victims of crime.
- Carries out house-to-house enquiries.
- Assists police officers at crime scenes and major events.
- Patrols a geographic area to monitor and deter criminal and anti-social activity and disorderly conduct.
Public Services Associate Professionals
£25,614
Entry Level Salary
£35,330
Average Salary
£71,205.33
Potential Salary
Daily Tasks
- Writes, edits and arranges for the distribution of press releases and other public relations material, addresses target groups through meetings, presentations, the media and other events to enhance the public image of the organisation, and monitors and evaluates its effectiveness.
- Discusses business strategy, products, services and target client base with management to identify public relations requirements.
- Advises the public or companies on general tax problems and arranges for the issue, receipt and examination of tax forms, assessment of PAYE codes and the computation of tax arrears and rebates.
- Undertakes supervisory duties specific to the operation of Revenue and Customs offices, Job Centres, Benefits Agency offices and other local offices of national government.
- Authorises the payment of social security benefits, assesses the financial circumstances of claimants and investigates any state insurance contribution problems.
- Organises resources for the acceptance and recording of vacancy details, the selection of suitable applicants and other Job Centre activities.
- Supervises a variety of administrative functions in government departments such as recruitment and training, the negotiation and arrangement of contracts, building and capital management, monitoring and authorising department expenditure etc..
- Assists senior government officers with policy work, external liaison or general administrative work.
- Manages the activities of government office staff, assigns tasks and responsibilities and makes changes in procedures to deal with variations in workload.
National Government Administrative Occupations
£23,382
Entry Level Salary
£27,724
Average Salary
£41,248.76
Potential Salary
Daily Tasks
- Performs miscellaneous clerical tasks such as proof reading printed material, drafting letters, taking minutes etc.
- Responds to telephone enquiries and other forms of correspondence.
- Classifies, sorts and files publications, correspondence etc. in offices and libraries.
- Maintains and updates correspondence, documents, data and other records for storage in files or on computer.
- Undertakes administrative duties specific to the operation of HM Revenue and Customs offices, Job Centres, Benefits Agency offices and other local offices of national government.
- Assists senior government officers with policy work, external liaison or general administrative work.
Local Government Administrative Occupations
£21,114
Entry Level Salary
£21,415.66
Average Salary
£32,918.65
Potential Salary
Daily Tasks
- Performs other clerical duties not elsewhere classified including preparing financial information for management, proof reading printed material and drafting letters in reply to correspondence or telephone enquiries.
- Arranges, classifies and indexes publications, correspondence and other material in libraries and offices.
- Updates and maintains data, correspondence and other records for storage or despatch.
- Receives and pays out cash and cheques and performs closely related clerical duties.
- Prepares and checks invoices and verifies accuracy of records.
- Computes cost of product/services and maintains and balances records of financial transactions.
Records Clerks and Assistants
£20,430
Entry Level Salary
£25,964
Average Salary
£37,249.73
Potential Salary
Daily Tasks
- Performs specialised clerical tasks in connection with conveyancing, litigation and the maintenance of medical records.
- Copies or duplicates documents or other records.
- Classifies, files, archives and locates documents and other records.
- Examines and sorts incoming material.
Transport and Distribution Clerks and Assistants
£19,476
Entry Level Salary
£24,367
Average Salary
£35,996.14
Potential Salary
Daily Tasks
- Maintains records regarding the movement and location of freight, containers and staff.
- Obtains customs clearance and processes import and export documentation necessary for the movement of goods between countries.
- Monitors tachograph readings and maintains records of hours worked and distance travelled by drivers.
- Formulates delivery loads, vehicle schedules and routes to be followed by delivery staff.
- Processes customer orders and forwards requisition documentation to storage and distribution personnel.
Human Resources Administrative Occupations
£20,916
Entry Level Salary
£25,365.70
Average Salary
£37,471.48
Potential Salary
Daily Tasks
- Implements and maintains HR records systems.
- Provides administrative support for training courses, work placements etc.
- Provides practical support for recruitment and selection procedures such as checking application forms, arranging interviews of candidates and ensuring the interview panel receive all relevant documentation.
- Arranges advertisements for jobs in the relevant media.
- Supports senior HR staff in the development and implementation of HR and industrial relations policies.
Office Managers
£20,952
Entry Level Salary
£31,102
Average Salary
£52,254.91
Potential Salary
Daily Tasks
- Plans, organises and co-ordinates the activities and resources of other offices not elsewhere classified including box offices, other ticket offices and accommodation bureaux.
- Ensures that procedures for considering, issuing, amending and endorsing insurance policies are adhered to.
- Advises on the handling of all correspondence and enquiries relating to accounts, sales, statistical and vacancy records.
- Plans work schedules, assigns tasks and delegates responsibilities.
Office Supervisors
£20,574
Entry Level Salary
£30,216.91
Average Salary
£47,393.37
Potential Salary
Daily Tasks
- Reports as required to managerial staff on work-related matters.
- Determines or recommends staffing and other needs to meet the organisation’s requirements.
- Liaises with managers and other senior staff to resolve operational problems.
- Establishes and monitors work schedules to meet the organisation’s requirements.
- Directly supervises and coordinates the activities of office staff.
Sales Administrators
£21,744
Entry Level Salary
£27,492.24
Average Salary
£43,871.83
Potential Salary
Daily Tasks
- Carries out general sales and marketing administrative duties.
- Handles customer complaints or forwards them to relevant member of sales team.
- Prepares sales invoices and maintains records and accounts of sales activity.
- Fields telephone enquiries from prospective customers on behalf of the sales team.
- Help customers to place orders online through social media platforms.
- Provides information to customers on products and prices.
Other Administrative Occupations
£20,916
Entry Level Salary
£23,613
Average Salary
£38,345.25
Potential Salary
Daily Tasks
- Checks figures, prepares invoices and records details of financial transactions made.
- Receives and distributes incoming and outgoing correspondence.
- Types reports, memos, notes, minutes and other documents.
- Stores information by filling in forms, writing notes and filing records.
Education Managers
£30,204
Entry Level Salary
£44,615
Average Salary
£81,085.13
Potential Salary
Daily Tasks
- Designs and implements methods of assessing the performance of students, co-ordinates and undertakes the evaluation of assessments and awards grades of merit based upon performance.
- Assists with recruitment, public relations and marketing activities.
- Organises examinations, invigilation and any security procedures required.
- Drafts and interprets regulations, deals with queries and complaints procedures and coordinates and maintains quality assurance procedures.
- Acts as secretary to statutory and other bodies/committees associated with the educational establishment.
- Controls administrative aspects of student admission, registration and graduation.
- Leads or contributes to decision making processes regarding curricula, budgetary, disciplinary and other matters.
- Provides administrative support to the academic team.
- Considers staffing, financial, material and other short- and long-term needs.
Business and Financial Project Management Professionals
£26,154
Entry Level Salary
£49,772.25
Average Salary
£83,459.73
Potential Salary
Daily Tasks
- Reports regularly on progress to the client or to senior managers.
- Ensures that each stage of the project is progressing on time, on budget and to the right quality standards.
- Negotiates with contractors and suppliers for materials and services.
- Selects and leads a project team.
- Draws up a detailed plan for how to achieve each stage of the project.
- Agrees timescales, costs and resources needed.
- Finds out what the client or company wants to achieve.
Social Workers
£30,834
Entry Level Salary
£42,179
Average Salary
£54,182.45
Potential Salary
Daily Tasks
- Participates in training and supervision.
- Gives evidence in court.
- Keeps case records, prepares reports and participates in team meetings.
- Organises support and develops care plans to address service users’ needs.
- Arranges for further counselling or assistance in the form of financial or material help.
- Undertakes and writes up assessments to specified standards.
- Interviews individuals and groups to assess and review the nature and extent of difficulties.
- Liaises with other health and social care professionals and agencies to identify those in need and at risk within the local community.