POLICE applicants between the age of 18 and 21 will no longer be required to have completed the Victorian Certificate of Education or the Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning, in an effort to fill hundreds of currently vacant roles.

The police entrance exam will also be waived for applicants who have who have achieved a specified bachelor degree in arts, humanities, law, science or business in the past five years at an Australian university, or for those who have worked as a police officer elsewhere in Australia, New Zealand or the UK in the last five years.

A police spokesperson said the VCE requirement, which was initially introduced in the 1990s, was "creating an unnecessary barrier and loss of potentially suitable candidates such as those who have left school early to pursue a trade".

The police entrance exam will still confirm academic suitability for applicants hoping to join Victoria Police out of high school.

The spokesperson said the removal of the entrance exam for experienced police officers or with recent bachelor degrees was a result of analysis which showed the vast majority of these qualifications passed the exam.

They said the exam requirement caused "unnecessary delay and cost for applicants".

"Analysis shows in the last year just one applicant with prior policing experience failed the exam but later passed."

More than 1500 prospective police members are expected to attend a careers expo in Bendigo next month, as Victoria Police seeks to improve staffing throughout the northern, central and western regions of the state.

The Victoria Police Bendigo Careers Expo – to be held at La Trobe University on October 14, will allow those over the age of 18 a window into the opportunities available in policing.

While the state police force has previously preferred to take on applicants with life experience for many of its roles, a spokesperson said those who recently finished secondary school or who had taken a gap year were also being encouraged to apply.

More than 60 police will be on hand to answer questions, including members of the Water Police Squad, Highway Patrol and Public Order Response Team.

The police Air Wing unit will also fly over the event.

Acting Superintendent of Victoria Police’s western region, Ben Young, said the event would give attendees an up-close look at a career in policing.

“We’re especially keen to showcase the benefits of country policing,” he said.

“It’s such a diverse and rewarding career experience and most importantly you have the opportunity to make a difference in the community.

“Victoria Police is in the middle of its biggest recruitment drive so if you’ve ever thought about joing come along to the expo.

“We look forward to meeting the future police of Victoria there.”

A rotating panel of police will also take part in three question and answer sessions talking about their experience, while police prosecutions, crime scene services and members from the road policing drug and alcohol section will also host exhibits.

The expo will run from 10am to 4pm, and attendees are urged to register for the free event by visiting police.vic.gov.au/victoria-police-bendigo-careers-expo.