From burgers to burglars – student Eve targets detective future

A University of Bradford student is set to swap serving fries for fighting crime in her next career move as a police detective.

Eve McCallum, 21, is already a high achiever, dividing her time between studying the final year of her LLB (Hons) Law degree, working as floor manager at McDonald’s in Shipley, volunteering for the Witness Service at Bradford Crown Court, and being part of the Bradford Ravens University cheerleading team.

What’s next?

Busy Eve is focused on completing her studies and graduating in summer 2026, after which she hopes to join West Yorkshire Police’s two-year Police Constable Entry Programme – Detective, having already passed the interview stage.

The police programme will involve Eve completing an initial training phase, then working in a policing district in West Yorkshire followed by developing investigation skills and starting their Trainee Investigator Development Programme.

Eve said: “I am really chuffed. I am super excited and knowing I am on track to have job security when I finish University is great.”

Eve is active on Tik-Tok and recently made her thoughts known about how great her home city – and university – really is.

She added: “I think Bradford sometimes gets a bad rap but I’m really positive about the city and what it has to offer, and I like to show that.”

Eve’s typical week

Before graduating, Eve has a busy weekly schedule.

• Monday: Eve’s day off from studying when she creates content for her personal TikTok and Bradford Ravens’ accounts, working as their Social Media Executive

• Tuesday: Full day studying at university, then cheerleading training on the evening

• Wednesday: Full working day in her volunteer role at Bradford Crown Court

• Thursday: Full day studying at university, then cheerleading training on the evening

• Friday: Full day on campus studying

• Saturday and Sunday: Eve will work at McDonald’s on one of the days and have the other day off

Eve said: “Organising time is probably the biggest pressure for me.

“In terms of McDonald’s, that’s physically demanding work, court is quite emotionally demanding, and university is academically demanding, it’s all very different.”

McDonald’s

Eve has worked at the Shipley branch of McDonald’s since she was 16, initially as a crew member, becoming floor manager in November 2024.

In her current role, she oversees the branch if the shift manager is not working. Her other responsibilities include managing up to 25 staff.

At court

Eve works for Citizens Advice as a witness service volunteer once a week, offering support to any witness due to give evidence at Bradford Crown Court.

Eve and her fellow volunteers explain what will happen during the witnesses’ court appearance and help ease any nerves they may have about appearing in court.

She said: “Our job is to make sure that they give their best evidence possible.

“It’s quite a stressful job, because it’s someone’s life that you’re looking after while they are there, and you have to be emotionally intelligent and careful of what you say as they are sensitive cases that we deal with at Crown Court.

“I can’t go and tell my family ‘you’ll never guess what happened in court today’, so it is quite a weight on you, but it’s really good.”

Cheerleading

Eve is also a member of the University’s Bradford Ravens cheerleading team, training on campus twice a week, competing in tournaments across the country.

She said: “When people hear cheerleading they think ‘it’s pom-poms and stuff’. It’s different to that. You need serious cardio and strength as you’re throwing and holding people in the air.”