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Skills for work if you're under 19

If you want to get a job after Year 12, it’s important to remember that continuous learning will improve your long term career prospects.

Success through Skills

Many training opportunities are offered through a series of programmes and funding:

Learning through work to boost your career

More and more employers are looking for workers with higher level skills and qualifications. So, if you want to start work, finding a job with training will give you better long-term prospects.

You can learn through work in a way that suits you.

For example, you could study part-time during evenings and weekends, or through distance learning which is can be online or by a correspondence course.

Apprenticeships

If you want a job that guarantees excellent training, an apprenticeship could be for you.

Apprenticeships are available in a wide range of employment sectors and as an apprentice, you earn money while you learn and study for nationally recognised qualifications.

Steps to Work

Steps to Work is a new and fresh approach to help you to find work. It offers flexible options of work related activities that can be made to suit your employment needs. When taking part in Steps to Work you will be allocated an adviser who will provide support and guidance to help you decide which opportunities best suit you.

If you're in work - but there's no training

If the job you have found offers little or no training, you could be eligible for something called Time off for Study or Training (TfST).

You can qualify if you are 16 or 17 and did not get any Level 2 qualifications at school. Level 2 qualifications include:

  • General Certificate Secondary Education(GCSE) at grades A* to C
  • National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) Level 2
  • certain other qualifications, such as BTEC First Diploma

TfST entitles you to reasonable paid time off during normal working hours to study or train for an approved qualification. This must be a Level 2 qualification that will help improve your future employment prospects.

The time off you get will depend on the course, your circumstances, and your employer's needs.

If you're 18, you're also allowed to finish any qualifications that you've already started.