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Employment

If your teenager's goal is to get a job, encourage them to apply for an Apprenticeship or look for a job with training. The number of jobs for young people without skills has declined rapidly in recent years. And it is expected to decline further.

In the long term, gaining skills and qualifications will give your teenager better prospects and higher rates of pay. Remind them that no route is closed to them because of their background, and that most young people continue in education or training post-16.

Your teenager's options include:

Apprenticeships

  • Apprentices work for an employer and earn while they learn.
  • They study for job-related vocational qualifications and functional skills qualifications. They may also work towards a technical certificate and other qualifications required for their chosen occupation.
  • They receive the same benefits as other employees. Rates of pay vary but there is a national minimum of £95 a week. Under 19s are not entitled to the national minimum wage.
  • Nationally, there are over 180 Apprenticeships in 80 industry sectors. Your teenager's options will depend on their experience and what is available locally.
  • Apprenticeships are open to anyone aged 16 and over, who lives in England and is not in full-time education. There is fierce competition for many.
  • Your teenager's Connexions personal adviser can help them decide which employment sector and level is best for them.
  • On completion of an Apprenticeship, your teenager could go on to a higher level Apprenticeship, higher education, skilled employment or further training.

Jobs

Encourage your teenager to look for a job with training. If they get a job without training, remind them about:

  • Time off for Study and Training (TfST) If they leave school without level 2 qualifications (e.g. GCSEs at grades A* to C, NVQ level 2), they should be able to get reasonable paid time off during normal working hours to train for an approved qualification. They can find out more from their local Connexions centre or www.connexions-direct.com.
  • Learning from more experienced employees All jobs will add to your teenager's experience and give them the chance to learn new things.
  • Negotiating with their employer If they see a training course that could help them with a job, encourage them to mention it at work. Employers sometimes pay for a course or help with costs if they think that it will help their business.

Self employment

Not many people do this at age 16. If this is your teenager's goal, they need a great business idea, strong enterprise skills, some expert advice and the ability to work extremely hard. Help is available from:

What next?

What financial help is available for teenagers?

Tool kit

Hot tip

Apprenticeships can be a route into higher education for further qualifications. To find out more, visit the Apprenticeships opens new window website.

Quote

"If they have a Level 2 qualification, it is still in their best interest to aim for a job with training."