Job for 16 years old
Careers advice

Show me the money: The 16-year-old’s guide to work

Congratulations, Sweet Sixteen, the world of work is now open to you. Here are the facts.

So. Didn’t get that unlimited gold card from the Bank of Mum & Dad for your birthday? Welcome to the club. The good news is that, as soon as you turn 16, the world of work opens like an oyster. You can start doing all kinds of stuff to earn money, within legal limits on working hours. Here’s the deal for 16-year-olds:

  • During school term-time you can work up to 12 hours a week
  • You can only work two hours on school days and Sundays
  • During the holidays this stretches to 35 hours a week
  • You can’t work more than eight hours in one day
  • When you leave education, you can work 40 hours a week

So, what can you do?

It’s up to you. Think about how long you need to stay in school, how much money you need and how much free time you want. You could be thinking about taking the first step in your future career.

Extra cash

There are loads of jobs for 16 year-olds in the retail sector, and shop-based Saturday jobs are among the most popular for young people.

Shops

Saturday is the busiest day on the high street, so managers need extra help with sales, customer service and tidying up displays. The same applies to cafes and restaurants, where you’ll be expected to take orders, clean tables and handle cash at the till.

Other popular short-term jobs for 16 year-olds include:

  • Gardening
  • Office work
  • Cleaning
  • Helping in hair salons
  • Leaflet-dropping
  • Manual/lifting work

Apprenticeships

An apprenticeship is the first rung on a career ladder, letting you learn from experienced veterans in the field while you earn on the job. Apprenticeships are government-backed and available to people aged 16 and over. They can last as long as three years.

Apprenticeships

The kind of apprenticeship you can take depends on your school grades. If your GCSEs are below C grade, you might be better off doing a traineeship first. These are unpaid work experience schemes designed to give you work skills.

Right now, an apprentice aerospace designer can earn around £333 a week, a government public relations apprentice £375 a week and an IT engineer £221.

Finding a career

Turning 16 is one of life’s big turning points: Do you stay in education – maybe with a part-time job – or take an apprenticeship, or start working full-time?

Employers are always looking for enthusiastic new recruits in full-time jobs like sales, estate agency, retail, construction and admin. But it might be harder to get further up the ladder without the right qualifications.

Having trouble deciding? Get some expert advice. Talk to your school or college’s careers advisor, and check out the Careers Advice.