Summer jobs for teenagers
Six weeks off school is enough time to earn £1,500–£2,500 and get real experience on your CV. The catch: the best summer employers recruit in spring. Here's who's hiring at 16–17, what they pay, and exactly when to apply.
How do you get a summer job at 16 or 17?
Summer jobs for 16 and 17 year olds include holiday and theme parks, summer camps, festivals, fruit picking, retail and seaside hospitality. The key is timing: seasonal employers recruit between March and May, so apply in spring. Pay is at least £8.00 an hour (April 2026 rate).
Last reviewed by the Shine careers team.
Who hires teenagers for the summer
Holiday & theme parks
£8.00–£9/hr
Butlin's, Haven, Parkdean, theme parks and attractions. Retail, food, ride and cleaning roles. Recruit March–May.
Summer camps & activities
£8.00–£10/hr
Activity centres, sports camps and holiday clubs take 16–17 year olds as assistant leaders. Great if you like working with kids.
Festivals & events
£8–£12/hr
Wristbanding, programme selling, litter picking and site crew. Some roles are 18+, but many accept 16+ with a guardian's sign-off.
Farm & outdoor work
£8.00+/hr
Fruit picking, garden centres, farm shops and harvest help. Physical but sociable, and often the easiest work to find rurally.
Retail & tourist hotspots
£8.00–£11/hr
Shops in tourist towns double their staffing for summer. Apply in May before the holiday rush.
Hospitality & ice cream vans
£8.00–£11/hr + tips
Cafés, seaside kiosks, ice cream vans and restaurants need summer cover. Walk in with a CV — many hire on the spot.
The summer jobs calendar
- • March–April: holiday parks, theme parks and summer camps open applications. Apply now.
- • May: festivals, tourist attractions and local cafés recruit. Walk in with a CV.
- • June: retail and hospitality add summer cover. Fewer seasonal roles left, but still hiring.
- • July–August: work! Up to 35 hours/week in the holidays at 16–17.
- • Minimum pay: £8.00/hour, plus holiday pay on top.
How to land one, step by step
- 1
Apply between March and May
Seasonal employers recruit in spring for the summer season. Set an evening aside in March to apply to holiday parks, theme parks and attractions near you.
- 2
Make a first-job CV
One page: school, subjects, hobbies, volunteering, two references. Shine's free CV builder has a template made for teenagers with no experience.
- 3
Apply to the big seasonal recruiters
Butlin's, Haven, Parkdean Resorts, theme parks, zoos and local tourist attractions all run online applications for under-18s. Apply to five or more.
- 4
Ask locally in person
Cafés, ice cream parlours, garden centres and farms near you often take on summer staff by word of mouth. Walk in with a CV in May.
- 5
Confirm pay and hours in writing
Before starting, get your hourly rate, weekly hours and holiday pay in writing. You must earn at least £8.00/hour at 16–17.
FAQs
- When should I apply for a summer job?
- Earlier than you think. Holiday parks, theme parks and festival employers recruit between March and May for the summer season. By the time GCSEs finish in June, many of the best roles are filled. Retail and hospitality hire closer to June, but applying in April or May puts you ahead.
- What summer jobs hire 16 year olds?
- Holiday and theme parks (rides, retail, food outlets), summer camps and activity centres, festivals (wristbanding, litter picking, stewarding at 18+ only for some roles), garden centres, fruit picking and farm work, ice cream vans, tourist attractions, and extra retail/hospitality cover during the holiday rush.
- How much do summer jobs pay at 16?
- The minimum for 16–17 year olds is £8.00/hour (April 2026 rate). Holiday parks typically pay £8.00–£9, theme parks and larger attractions £8–£11, and fruit picking is often piece-rate but must average at least minimum wage. A full summer of work at 35 hours a week can earn £1,500–£2,500.
- How many hours can I work in the summer holidays?
- In school holidays, 16 year olds can work up to 35 hours a week (25 hours for under-16s), with a maximum of 8 hours a day and a 30-minute break on shifts over 4.5 hours. You must get at least two weeks' break from work across the summer holidays.
- Will a summer job help my CV or apprenticeship application?
- Yes, a lot. Employers and apprenticeship assessors consistently say any work experience — even one summer in a shop or café — puts a young applicant ahead, because it proves punctuality, reliability and customer skills. Keep a note of what you did so you can talk about it in interviews.
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