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    • Starting a Job or Training



    If you want to leave school after Year 11 and you do not want to go to college. You could:
    • Start training for a job
    • Start a job


    You can start a full time job or training after the last Friday in June after your 16th birthday.

    If you want to go to college or do training your Connexions Adviser will tell the college or the people training you about any extra help you might need.


    Leaving school when you are 16 and training for a job or getting a job


    If you do not want to go to college after you have finished school you could:
    • Start an apprenticeship - this means you will learn how to do a job and work at the same time.
    • Start an e2e (entry to employment) course - this will help you get ready for work.
    • Get a job and start working straight away
    • Do some voluntary work


    Apprenticeships


    An apprenticeship is when you learn to do a job and work at the same time. You can also get a qualification.

    Apprenticeships usually take 1 or 2 years to do. When you have completed an apprenticeship you will get a qualification. This qualification is called an NVQ.


    E2E (entry to employment)

    If you do not feel ready to start a job or apprenticeship you could do an e2e course. e2e is a short training course to help you to be ready for work.

    On an e2e course you might do things like:

    • practicing for interview
    • applying for jobs
    • finding out about which jobs you like.

    Starting a job


    If you want to start a job as soon as you leave school your Connexions Adviser can help you to find a job.

    You can see your Connexions Adviser at school before you leave or at your local Connexions Centre.

    When you start work you should be paid the national minimum wage. The national minimum wage is the lowest amount of money you can be paid.

    16 to 17 year olds who have a job should be paid the national minimum wage. This means you must be paid at least £3.30 for every hour you work.


    Voluntary Work

    When you leave school you might want to do voluntary work. This means doing useful work that is not paid.

    You may want to do voluntary work if:

    • You get benefits that would be affected by a paid job
    • You wanted to do a job that might be easier than paid work