What Jobs can Teenagers Do?

Starting out young with work can be a good way for teens to make some extra pocket money and learn about the value of working along with developing important skills for their future. While most teens only work a couple of hours per week, it can be very beneficial in their development and help them decide on a future career by using their experience of working part-time to figure out what they enjoy, what they don’t like, what they are good at, and what they’re not so good at. Many teens decide to get a part-time job simply for the money, but it can provide them with so much more. For teens, working part-time can be an opportunity for friendships while giving them the chance to take on more responsibility and learn more about the world of work before working becomes essential for them to survive.

What are Some Good Jobs for 12 Year Olds and 13 Year Olds?

Twelve year olds are not permitted to work part-time, but there are several things that kids can do at this age to make some extra money and take on more responsibilities such as offering services to people in the local area, including washing cars, running errands, and walking dogs under adult supervision. The old-fashioned paper round might not be as popular as it once was due to online news taking over, but many newsagents still require people to deliver newspapers to people who read them, which can be an ideal job for a teen of thirteen to do since it only requires an hour or so in the morning before school. At thirteen, ‘Saturday’ jobs can also be a good idea for teenagers, such as helping out in a local small business with basic tasks like cleaning, for a small amount of money. It is only recommended for a thirteen-year-old to work for a couple of hours per week as at this age, since school is of course their main priority.

The Best Jobs for 16 Year Olds

At sixteen, many teens start looking more seriously for work as this is the age where they can legally work more hours and can be contracted on as an employee. Most sixteen year olds are still in school or in some form of education such as A-Levels or equivalent, so it’s usually a part-time job that they will look for in order to find something that fits around their education. Coffee shops, supermarkets, restaurants, fast food outlets, clothing stores, and other retail and hospitality businesses will often be the first type of job that a 16-year-old will do, as these types of businesses will often hire teens and young people. They do not mind hiring people with no previous experience, since the jobs are often easy to pick up.

Finding Jobs for 16 Year Olds UK

Whether you are sixteen and looking for your first job or are the parent of a sixteen year old who wants to start working, there are various places to look when it comes to finding a first paid role. Job boards like Indeed are a great place to start or you can search through AppJobs for gigs that are suited to your skills. Bear in mind that at sixteen, if you are looking for your first job, you won’t have any previous work experience, but don’t let this stand in your way. Chances are that you have developed a lot of skills from school and extra-curricular activities that you can use on your CV to help you land the job. Recruiters may be interested in hearing about your teamwork skills while working on team projects or playing sports, how you have used your communication skills in school, and how you use your skills to help organise school events, for example.

Some Good Jobs for 17 Year Olds

Like sixteen-year olds, most seventeen-year olds are also in full-time education, with part-time jobs the best option for them. At seventeen, teens also have the advantage of being old enough to have a driving license, so if passing your driving test and getting your first car is a priority to you, this could also help you find more jobs. Not only does having your own car make it easier to get to work allowing you to apply for jobs that are a little further away or have start and finish times that you’d not normally be able to do if taking public transport, but it also gives you the option of considering delivery jobs too. If you have a driving license, part-time delivery work might be an ideal choice for you at 17 since this is often easy to work around college or school and other commitments. However, bear in mind that if you are going to take delivery work on a gig basis, such as signing up for UberEats or Deliveroo, you will need to get food delivery car insurance to do this legally. Alternatively, you can find part-time work as a delivery driver employed by a company, who will cover the insurance costs necessary.

Jobs for 18 Year Olds – What’s Worth Doing?

At eighteen, teens can legally buy – and serve – alcohol, which opens up more opportunities for working part-time. Eighteen is often the age that teens head off to university which may bring with it the need to start looking for a new job in a new city. Bar work is a popular option, especially in student areas where there is often a lot of bars, clubs, and pubs that are always in need of staff. Working in a supermarket might also be easier for eighteen-year-olds since at this age, they are not restricted to the jobs that they can do in the supermarket including serving alcohol to customers when working on the checkouts.

What Hours are Under-16s Allowed to Work?

There are laws in the UK regarding child employment. While it’s okay for kids to help out for pocket money under the age of thirteen, this is the youngest age that a child can legally work part-time. There are exceptions for children who are involved in theatre, television, and modelling work, for which they will need a performance license.

Teens are only able to start working full-time once they have reached the minimum school leaving age, at which point they are able to work up to forty hours per week maximum. Employers need to pay any employees who are aged 16 or above through PAYE. Adult employment rights and rules apply once a teen reaches eighteen years old.

Children who are still school-aged are not entitled to the National Minimum Wage. At ages sixteen and seventeen, teens are entitled to a minimum wage of £4.62 per hour. Registered employers need to record and report their pay as part of payroll. Other regular PAYE tasks such as making deductions will need to be carried out if the teen earns over £120 per week.

There are several restrictions to consider when it comes to where and when under-16s are allowed to work. Children are not permitted to work during school hours, before the hours of 7am or after 7pm, for more than one hour before school, in areas such as industrial sites or factories, or in any work that many be harmful to their health and wellbeing or their education. Children must take a break of at least one hour after working for four hours, and they should be given a two-week break from any work that they do during the school holidays for the year.

During term-time, children are permitted to work for a maximum of twelve hours per week, which includes a maximum of two hours per school day and on Sundays. On Saturdays, 13-14 year olds can work for a maximum of five hours, while 15-16 year olds can work a maximum of eight hours.

During the school holidays, a 13-14 year old can work a maximum of twenty-five hours per week, which includes a maximum of two hours on Sundays, and up to five hours on weekdays and Saturdays. 15-16 year olds are permitted to work a maximum of thirty-five hours a week in the school holidays, including no more than two hours on Sundays and no more than eight hours on Saturdays and during the week.

Bear in mind that there may be local bylaws that list further restrictions on how, where, and when children can work.

What are the Benefits of Working for Teenagers?

While it’s not a good idea for teens to work a lot of hours, getting a part-time job can have many benefits for teens. Working can give teens a sense of responsibility and achievement, while allowing them to develop important life skills and earn some money for themselves at the same time.

Whether you’re a teen who wants to look for work or a parent of a teenager who would like a part-time job, understanding what jobs teens can do at their age, and the restrictions on working for school-aged children, is important.