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Tips and advice on employment
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Not staying in education after Year 11? Want to get a job?
Here are some things you need to know:
What sort of jobs are there?
The jobs which most young people start work in are:
Practical jobs - basic assembly work
- driver's mate
- general assistant in a factory
- packing jobs
- kitchen assistant
- building jobs
Sales or - office or admin work
shop work - retail assistant
Working with - care home work
people - serving food
- hotel work
What sort of place would I work in?
There are all sorts of places you could work in...
| Shop | Cafe | Factory | Building site |
| Workshop | Office | Kitchen | Hotel |
Do I need qualifications?
You don’t need academic qualifications for all jobs, but there are basic skills which all employers look for. These are:
| Communication – speaking and writing | Basic maths | Working well with others |
| Learning quickly | Using a computer | Organising your work |
| Taking a leadership role when needed |
You're more likely to be offered a job if you have some of these skills. Work experience, volunteering, e2e or even hobbies can help give you these skills.
Can I still get qualifications when I've got a job?
Yes. You could do:
- A part-time course at college or training centre during the day
- A qualification based on what you do in your job
- Evening classes
- Distance learning
If you haven't got a qualification equal to 5 GCSEs (A - C) when you leave school at 16 or 17, there's a law which says you should be able to get paid time off from work to study for this level of qualification. It's called Time Off for Study or Training. If your employer isn't training you towards a qualification, you could benefit from this law.
Qualifications help you prove what you can do when you move from one job to another. In fact the people who are willing to carry on learning throughout their lives are likely to be the most successful.
