Starting Work 
Starting Work Also read: Minimum Wage Employment Rights Working time regulations
Age Regulations Time off for study/training Training Opportunities
NVQs Diplomas
When you start your first job you are likely to need to know about lots of different things to do with work.
By law, the date year 11 pupils can leave school is the last Friday in June. It does not matter when your birthday is, and you are not allowed to finish school at Easter any more. By law, you are not allowed to start working or training full time until after the last Friday in June.
Part time work is an excellent way of getting new skills and experience which will help when you are looking for jobs in the future. Employers often look at the experience or personal skills you have gained from part time work when you apply for a job. Regulations set out the types of work you can do as well as the hours that you can work and the breaks you must have if you work while you are still at school. Each Local Authority has rules or byelaws which cover the employment of young people. Your employer will need to tell the local authority about your job. You are likely to need a work or employment permit from your Local Authority.
Come and talk to staff in Your Local Connexions Centre about part-time work while you are still at school.
Here are a few of the main points but use the website below for a full list of the regulations covering part-time work while you are still at school
 Working Time Regulations: To find out more about working time regulations which covers breaks, right to time off and working limits visit the Department for Business Enterprise & Regulatory Reform (BERR) website by CLICKING HERE.If you would like to have more detailed information you could contact your Local Authority or Telephone:
When you are looking for a job it's a good idea to think about what you might be doing in the future. Even if a job is well paid when you start, you need to think about what you will be doing and how much you will be earning in a few years time. You might want to think about training or work based learning. Lots of employers like to take on people who are keen to build their skills and gain qualifications which help them in their work. They often ask their employees to take NVQ qualifications.
Come and talk to staff in Your Local Connexions Centre if you want any information or advice about training, NVQs or qualifications.
NVQ means National Vocational Qualification. These qualifications have been developed with the help of professional organisation and employers. They are work based. They test the skills you learn so that you can do your job. This means that you learn at work as well as with a Training Provider or a College. You might go for classes one day a week or you might go for a longer block every so often. You will be able to take your time to finish the course because you will be working at the same time as doing your NVQ. To pass your NVQ you will probably be tested at work by somebody watching you do your job. You will also have to put together a portfolio to show what you can do. You can study five levels of NVQs:
We lead developments in curriculum, assessments, examinations and qualifications visit our website at www.qca.org.uk.
Come and talk to staff in Your Local Connexions Centre if you want any information or advice about training, NVQs or qualifications.
Apprentices learn on the job, building up knowledge and skills and get paid. If you take this route you will also study for:
For more information about Apprenticeships please visit one of the following websites:
Come and talk to staff in Your Local Connexions Centre if you want any information or advice about Apprenticeships.
- Are you 16 – 17 years old? If so you could be entitled to 'Time off for Study and Training'. Young people aged 16 – 17 who don’t have a level 2 qualification are allowed ‘reasonable time off’ with pay to study for a qualification. You could improve your skills and gain a qualification which would look good on your CV and might help you in the future.
DOWNLOAD: You can download a copy of our our popular leaflet "The Right To Time Off for Study or Training" HERE (you will need Adobe Reader to view it).
Come and talk to staff in Your Local Connexions Centre if you want any information or advice about your right to time off for study or training.
What is a "level 2" qualification? A level 2 qualification is not a qualification in its self, it is the name given to a certain level of achievement.
Qualifications at level 3 such as AS level, A level and Applied A level should usually be undertaken after gaining level 2 qualifications.
Adding it up Combinations are allowed, so if a young person does not obtain a Level 2 qualification at school (5 full GCSE’s at grades A* - C) they can still obtain a level 2 qualification when they leave school by going to sixth form or college or via work based learning and apprenticeships. Example: if a young person gets one GCSE at grade A* to C which counts for 20% and then gets a full intermediate GNVQ which counts for 80% they will have 100% which is a 'level 2 qualification'.
Why is a level 2 qualification important? As mentioned above, young people with a level 2 qualification will be more employable. A level 2 qualification is an important stepping stone, not only to a job but to further learning, higher level skills and greater earning capacity. For employers, the benefits include an increased pool of qualified young people able to make a contribution to their business and the local economy.
Come and talk to staff in Your Local Connexions Centre if you want any information or advice about level 2 qualifications.
The minimum wage is a legal right which covers almost all workers above compulsory school leaving age. From the 1st October 2008 the following National Minimum Wage pay rates will apply:
Aged 18-21 inclusive: Workers aged between 18 and 21 inclusive must be paid a development* rate of at least £4.77 per hour. (exceptions apply - see below). Aged 22 and over: Workers over the age of 22 must be paid at least £5.73 per hour. (exceptions apply - see below).
To find out more about the National Minimum wage visit our dedicated page HERE.
Employment rights for young people: To find out more about your employment rights visit the Direct.Gov website HERE.
You can also CLICK HERE to contact us on-line.
Employers are legally obliged to provide a written statement outlining the main terms of employment within 8 weeks of starting employment and should include:
Many employees only have a verbal Contract of Employment and there is no requirement that a complete written contract be issued. It is often beneficial to ensure everything is understood by both sides to have a written Contract.
When you are 16 you will be given a National Insurance Number. It is your special number, no-one else has the same number so make sure you keep it safe. You will need this number when you start work or if you need to sign on. You will pay National Insurance Contributions if you work and earn more than £90 per week. The money will be taken out of your salary by your employer. Your contributions go towards your pension and benefits you may be entitled to in the future. The amount of National Insurance you pay will depend on how much you earn. You will also pay tax. Your local tax office will give you a tax code. They will tell you how much you can earn before you pay any tax. For the tax year from April 2008 to March 2009 your personal allowance is £6,035. This is the amount you can earn in a year without paying any tax. You may also be entitled to tax allowances because of your personal circumstances or because of the sort of work you do. Tax is taken from the rest of your salary. Staff in your local tax office will answer any questions you would like to ask, they will also help you with any problems. Each year you will get a P60 which tells you how much you have earned and how much tax you have paid that year. You must keep your P60s in a safe place. If you leave a job you need to get a P45 form from your old employer to start a new job or to sign on. This form gives all the information about your tax so that your new employer can get it right.
Each time you are paid by an employer you are entitled to a pay slip. This can be hand written or printed. It must show
If you are under 18, even if you have left school and are working full time, your working hours are restricted. The hours you are allowed to work are set out in the Working Time Regulations.
Employment rights for young people: To find out more about your employment rights visit the Direct.Gov website HERE.
Come and talk to staff in Your Local Connexions Centre if you want any information or advice about working time regulations.
Currently you are entitled to 4.8 weeks (24 days) holiday time with pay if you work 5 days a week. This is worked out on a pro rata basis for part time workers. You might have to take public holidays such as Christmas, Easter and Bank Holidays from your entitlement but this should be set out in your contract or written statement. Some employers might set out certain times when you can take your holiday (e.g. two weeks in the summer or at Christmas). From lst April 2009 the entitlement will increase to 5.6 weeks (28 days if you work 5 days a week).
An employer has a responsibility to look after your health and safety at work, so you should be told about any risks that you may come across in your place of work, where safety equipment is and provide you any special clothing or protective equipment required to do the job. Your employer should make sure that you are fully trained to carry out any duties safely. You also have health and safety responsibilities as an employee so make sure you follow instructions, do not put yourself or others at risk of injury and report any concerns, accidents or injuries to your manager.
All employees are entitled to work free from discrimination and bullying, no matter how long you have been working there. There are laws that protect you, regardless of your age, gender, race, religion and sexuality. If you feel you are being discriminated against at work, tell your manager or another trusted colleague as soon as possible.
If you want to leave your job you need to tell your employer beforehand. Your contract will tell you how long beforehand you need to let your employer know, that is how much notice you need to give your employer. If your employer wants you to leave your job, you should be given at least a week’s notice or you should get at least a week’s pay, unless you have done something very serious. If you have paid tax and national insurance you need to make sure your employer gives you a P45 form when you leave work. You will need this form if you start working for a new employer or if you sign on.
You might have problems claiming benefit if you are sacked for doing something serious or you leave your job without a good reason. Come and talk to staff in Your Local Connexions Centre if you want any information or advice about leaving work.
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