An exceptionally high number of people have applied for police training in Finland this year. There were over 5,000 applicants for the 2019 training courses at the Police University College, which has a total of 400 available seats — which means that nearly 13 applicants are vying for a single study placement.
"This has been the largest ever number of applicants for bachelor studies in police training. Over the past couple of years, there have been about 4,000 applicants per year, so the increase in interest is significant," director of the police training institute, Kimmo Himberg,said.
The applicants include high school graduates as well as those with postsecondary degrees, according to Himberg.
"Working along with police departments, we were able to successfully spread our message at education fairs and school and garrison visits. The Police University College channels also provide a lot of information and atmosphere about the campus," Himberg said, adding that prospective applicants were also reached on social media.
The police academy degree takes three years to complete and offers graduates the eligibility to work, for instance, as a senior constable. A graduate can work in both criminal investigation and security- and alarm-tasks.
Police University College does not have a centralised application service but has four application periods during the year. This year, nearly 300 students have started their training at the university.