Posted on 13th Sep
A former financial adviser has now switched a bank for a police car after fulfilling her dreams to become a police officer.
New recruit Fiona Hubery joined Nottinghamshire Police after gaining a place on the force’s constable degree apprenticeship program.
PC Hubery, of Newark, was one of 47 new recruits who passed out at a ceremony at Nottinghamshire’s police’s Sherwood Lodge headquarters.
The 27-year-old has now hit the ground running and become part of the Mansfield response team — and in her first few weeks out in the field already attended some serious road traffic collisions.
After spotting an application to join the degree apprenticeship the former financial adviser decided to apply and see if she would be accepted.
PC Hubery said: “I had enjoyed my career in banking but I wasn’t quite getting the satisfaction I was yearning for.
“I always had policing in the back of my mind but didn’t think about it seriously until I saw an application and realised that I could meet all the requirements.
“I think the life experience I’ve had so far really puts me in good stead for the role. I’ve had lots of dealings with members of the public and I feel like I know how to relate to people and build up a good rapport and I think that was recognised.”
Speaking about her experiences so far out on the road, she added: “I’ve never seen a serious injury before and I thought I’d be quite queasy, but I wasn’t and this was something that I took confidence from having mentally found it ok to deal with.
“I’m really passionate about helping people. This is one of the main things that drew me to the role and I’m well aware of the suffering that some people have to endure.
“To be able to give something back is what I’m finding really rewarding.
“I used to be such a worrier, but I’ve learned to go with the flow more and developed a ‘whatever will be will be’ attitude to life and I think this has really helped me deal with certain situations.”
PC Hubery explained how she likes to spend her spare time relaxing, singing in bars, taking part in plays at her local theatre, and looking after her six-month-old Rhodesian Ridgeback.
Speaking about the day she graduated in August she added: “I was thrilled to be able to invite my mum, dad and partner along to the passing out parade for PCDA 6 as it was the first ceremony to open up fully following the pandemic.”
As part of the PCDA, she is now on the first year of a three-year probationary period, where she will do weeks of training school alongside the input from the University of Derby. She will also finish with a degree.
Chief Constable Craig Guildford said: “This is the sixth cohort to run through the police constable degree apprenticeship so it’s great to see this process running smoothly and to witness how successful it has been in equipping candidates with all the necessary skills and training whilst providing yet another route into policing.”
