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School leaver jobs for 16, 17 and 18 year olds

Leaving school does not mean taking whatever comes along. Everything here is a paid job with proper training attached, and you are welcome to apply whether you have GCSEs, A levels, a T Level or none of them yet.

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Nothing is live here at the moment. We add new roles every week, and we can keep an eye out for something near you if you ask us for help.

Your options after school in England

In England you must stay in some form of education or training until you are 18. That does not mean staying in a classroom. You can work or volunteer for 20 hours or more a week alongside part-time study, or take an apprenticeship that combines both.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland set the leaving age differently, but the same routes into paid work with training are available.

  • Apprenticeships from Level 2 upwards, paid from day one
  • Entry-level jobs with structured training
  • T Level industry placements while you study
  • Supported employment if you need a job coach alongside the role

Leaving at 16, after GCSEs

At 16 you are choosing your next two years, not your whole career. A Level 2 or Level 3 apprenticeship pays you while you train and counts as staying in education. Sixth form, college and T Levels keep more doors open if you are still deciding.

If your GCSE grades were not what you hoped, that is not the end of it. You can resit English and maths alongside a job or course, and many employers will fund that time for you.

  • Level 2 apprenticeship: GCSE standard, usually 12 to 18 months
  • Level 3 apprenticeship or T Level: A level standard, usually 2 years
  • College course with a part-time job
  • Entry-level job with 20 hours or more of work plus part-time study

Leaving at 18, without going to university

University is one route, not the route. A higher or degree apprenticeship gets you the same level of qualification with no tuition debt, a salary from the start and several years of real experience by the time your friends graduate.

School leaver programmes at larger employers, often in finance, law, engineering, tech and the public sector, recruit straight from sixth form and train you in-house.

  • Level 4 and 5 higher apprenticeships: foundation degree or HNC/HND standard
  • Level 6 degree apprenticeships: a full bachelor's degree, tuition paid by the employer
  • School leaver programmes and trainee schemes
  • Skills bootcamps if you want a short, focused route into one industry

When to apply, and results day

Apprenticeship opportunities appear all year, but the biggest wave lands between January and August for September starts. Degree apprenticeships often close earliest, sometimes before Christmas, so start looking in the autumn of your final year.

GCSE and A level results days fall in August. Have a backup in mind before the envelope opens: opportunities that were quiet in July fill quickly in the fortnight afterwards. If results have gone sideways, talk to us the same week rather than waiting for September.

  • Autumn: research routes, start degree apprenticeship applications
  • January to April: main apprenticeship and school leaver programme intake
  • May to July: later opportunities, as employers fill their remaining places
  • August: results day, last-minute opportunities and fast starts

How much do school leavers get paid?

If you are under 18, or an apprentice in the first year of your apprenticeship, the apprentice minimum wage rate applies. Once you are 18 and past your first year, the 18 to 20 National Minimum Wage rate applies instead. Many employers pay above the legal minimum.

We check every listing against the current legal rates before publishing it, and we flag anything that looks below the minimum for your age band.

Applying without work experience

Most school leaver roles say no experience required, and they mean it. Employers are looking for reliability, curiosity and how you handle being taught something new.

School projects, sports teams, caring responsibilities, part-time shifts and volunteering all give you something concrete to talk about. Our free guides walk you through writing a first CV and preparing for a first interview.

For parents, carers and teachers

If you are supporting a young person through this, the most useful thing you can do is treat every route as equally respectable. Apprenticeships are not a fallback, and university is not a default. Ask what they want their days to look like, not what grades they think they need.

You are welcome to use this site on their behalf, and you can book free one-to-one support with them or for advice on how to help. Schools, colleges and support services can also refer a young person to us directly, with their consent.

  • Every listing shows real pay, hours and closing dates, so you can sanity-check an offer together
  • Nobody needs an account to browse or apply
  • Our support is free and there is no catch: we are a community interest company
  • Staff at schools, colleges and Jobcentres can refer a young person through our referral form

What a strong answer looks like

Real examples you can borrow the shape of. Do not copy them word for word, employers read hundreds of applications and they can tell.

Tell us about yourself.

I am 17 and I finished my A levels in June at Parkside College, where I did business, IT and geography. I have worked Saturdays and Sundays at a garden centre for the last year, mostly on the tills and helping customers find things. I liked the ordering side more than the selling side, which is why I am applying for a business admin apprenticeship rather than a retail job.

Why it works: Age, where you are up to, one real job, and a reason for applying. No waffle and nothing invented.

Give an example of when you worked in a team.

I play for my local netball team. Our regular centre broke her wrist two weeks before a tournament, so I moved position even though it was not my strongest. I asked our coach to run through it with me twice a week after training. We came second and I stayed in that position for the rest of the season.

Why it works: It is a real story with a problem, what you personally did, and how it ended. Sport counts as much as a job.

Why do you want to work here?

You are a ten minute bus ride from me, so I can be reliable in bad weather, and I read that your apprentices get a day a week at college rather than doing the coursework in their own time. I want to learn properly rather than being left to work it out.

Why it works: Practical and specific to that employer. Being honest about the commute is a plus, not a weakness.

Mistakes worth avoiding

  • Saying you have no experience

    You have. School projects, a Saturday job, caring for a relative, a sports team, running a group chat for an event. Pick one and describe what you actually did.

  • Copying a personal statement off the internet

    Employers read hundreds and they can tell. Two honest sentences about you beat a polished paragraph about nobody.

  • One word answers on the form

    If a box allows a few lines, use three or four sentences. Empty boxes read as 'not that bothered'.

  • Using an old email address

    Make one with your name in it and check it daily, including the junk folder. Employers give up after one unanswered email.

  • Leaving it until results day

    Apply before August. Vacancies fill fast in the fortnight after results, and having something lined up takes the pressure off the envelope.

  • Not reading the advert before the interview

    Read it again the night before and pick two things from it to mention. That alone puts you ahead of most people in the room.

Want a second pair of eyes before you send it? Ask us for free help or read our CV and interview guides.

Templates you can copy

Fill in the brackets with your own details. If a line is not true for you, delete it.

Personal statement when you have no work experience

Fill in the brackets and delete anything that is not true for you. Aim for four or five sentences.

  • I am [age] and I have just finished [Year 11 / Year 13 / my course] at [school or college], where I studied [subjects].
  • I am applying for [job or apprenticeship title] because [the real reason: you enjoyed a subject, you have seen the work up close, you want to train while you earn].
  • I have not worked in [this industry] yet, but [example from school, a part-time job, volunteering, caring or a sports team] taught me [skill, for example turning up on time, staying calm with people, keeping track of details].
  • I am [something you can honestly say about yourself, for example quick to pick things up, happy to ask questions, used to early starts].
  • I would like the chance to show you in person and I am available to start from [date].

Why do you want this apprenticeship?

Three parts: why this trade or industry, why this employer, why now.

  • I want to train as [role] because [what draws you to the work itself, not the money].
  • I first got interested when [moment: a lesson, a work experience week, watching a family member, fixing something yourself].
  • I want to do it with you because [something specific from the advert or their website: the training they give, the type of work, the location, who their customers are].
  • I know the first year is mostly [the realistic bit: watching, carrying, learning the basics] and I am fine with that because I would rather learn it properly.
  • I can commit to the college day and the coursework because [how you will manage your week].

Tell us about a time you worked in a team

Use one story only. Say what happened, what you did, and how it ended.

  • Situation: [where it happened: a school project, a shift, a match, a family situation, a fundraiser].
  • Problem: [what went wrong or what was hard: someone dropped out, you were short staffed, the deadline moved].
  • What I did: [your part, in one or two sentences. Use 'I' not 'we'].
  • Result: [how it finished: you met the deadline, the event ran, the customer left happy, you got the grade].
  • What I learned: [one honest line, for example that it is quicker to ask than to guess].

Common questions

What jobs can I get at 16 in the UK?
At 16 you can work full time in most jobs, with limits on hours and on night work until you turn 18. Apprenticeships, retail, hospitality, care, construction and administrative roles are the most common starting points, and many come with training built in.
Do I need GCSEs to get a job or apprenticeship?
Not always. Level 2 apprenticeships and many entry-level jobs accept applicants without GCSE passes in English and maths, and you can study those alongside the role. Each listing states the actual requirement.
Can I leave school at 16 and get a full-time job?
In England you can leave school at 16 but you must stay in education or training until 18. A full-time job counts if you also do part-time study, and an apprenticeship covers both at once. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have different rules, and you can leave education at 16 there.
What should I do if my results are not what I expected?
Take a day, then act. You can resit English and maths alongside work or study, apply for a Level 2 apprenticeship instead of Level 3, or start a college course. Plenty of employers care more about attitude than grades. Ask us for free help and we will look at the options with you.
Is a degree apprenticeship as good as a degree?
A Level 6 degree apprenticeship gives you the same bachelor's degree, with your tuition paid by the employer and a salary while you study. You get less of the traditional campus experience and you work most of the week, so it comes down to how you prefer to learn and live.
Is an apprenticeship better than staying at school?
Neither is better in general, only better for you. An apprenticeship pays you while you train and suits people who learn by doing. Staying in education keeps more options open if you are undecided. Our pathways page compares them side by side.
How can a parent or teacher help a young person apply?
Browse and shortlist together, check the pay and closing date on each listing, and help them practise talking about school projects, part-time work or volunteering. You can also book free one-to-one support with them, and school or college staff can refer a young person to us with their consent.

  • Apprenticeships

    Search UK apprenticeships from Level 2 to degree level. See the wage, the qualification and the training provider on every opportunity before you apply.

  • Entry-level jobs

    Entry level jobs across the UK with no experience required. Real salaries, clear requirements and training from day one, plus free application support.

  • Work experience

    Find work experience placements across the UK for school, college and university students. See the dates, the tasks and who the placement is open to.

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