Entry-level jobs that train you
16+ with no experience
Retail, hospitality, warehouse, care and customer service hire on attitude and availability, not a CV history. Most train you in the first week.
UK-wide
UK entry-level jobs for teens, and changing career at 18
Whether you're looking for a first job with no experience, or you've started something at 18 and want out, there is a route from where you are. Here's what hires teenagers across the UK, what's busy in your city, and how to switch direction without losing a year.
What entry-level jobs in the UK hire teenagers with no experience?
UK entry-level jobs that hire teenagers with no experience include retail, hospitality, warehouse, care and customer service, plus apprenticeships from Level 2 upwards. All train you on the job. At 18 you can also change direction: apprenticeships have no upper age limit and you can retrain while earning.
Last reviewed by the Shine careers team.
Five ways into work with no experience
Apprenticeships
16+ with no upper age limit
A paid job with training towards a qualification. Level 2 up to degree level, no tuition to repay, and employers keep most apprentices on.
T Levels
16–19 after GCSEs
A two-year technical course with a 45-day industry placement, so you leave with real workplace experience an employer recognises.
Short and free courses
Any age, alongside work
Free online and council-funded courses top up a specific skill gap — digital, care, food safety, security licensing — in weeks, not years.
Volunteering and work experience
Anyone with no paid history
A few hours a week gives you a named referee and something concrete to talk about in an interview.
More detail in our guides to jobs with no experience, apprenticeships and T Levels.
Entry-level jobs by UK city
The sectors that hire most consistently at entry level in each area. Search by your town or postcode — local employers fill roles far faster than national listings suggest.
Entry-level jobs in London
Greater London
Hospitality, retail, logistics, digital and business admin apprenticeships
Entry-level jobs in Manchester
Greater Manchester
Retail, contact centres, warehousing, digital and engineering apprenticeships
Entry-level jobs in Birmingham
West Midlands
Manufacturing, construction, care, retail and logistics
Entry-level jobs in Leeds
West Yorkshire
Finance and business admin, retail, health and care, hospitality
Entry-level jobs in Glasgow
Scotland
Hospitality, retail, care, engineering and Modern Apprenticeships
Entry-level jobs in Liverpool
Merseyside
Hospitality, retail, logistics, health and social care
Entry-level jobs in Bristol
South West
Aerospace and engineering, hospitality, retail, digital
Entry-level jobs in Newcastle
North East
Retail, contact centres, care, construction and manufacturing
Entry-level jobs in Sheffield
South Yorkshire
Manufacturing, warehousing, care, hospitality and retail
Entry-level jobs in Cardiff
Wales
Retail, hospitality, public sector admin, health and care
Entry-level jobs in Belfast
Northern Ireland
Hospitality, retail, manufacturing, IT and business services
Entry-level jobs in Edinburgh
Scotland
Hospitality and tourism, retail, finance admin, care
Changing career at 18
- You are not starting from zero. A term at college, a few months in a job or a part-time role all count as experience an employer can check.
- Apprenticeships have no upper age limit, so switching at 18 puts you at the normal starting age, not behind.
- You can earn while you retrain — evening college, online courses and on-the-job training all fit around a paid job.
- Leaving a course does not close it forever. Many colleges let you restart in September, and some allow a January start.
- Your legal minimum pay at 18 is £10.85 an hour from 1 April 2026, so a full-time entry-level job is a viable base while you work out the next step.
If you've already left a course or a job, the step-by-step options are in changing direction at 18 to 24 and retraining without full-time study.
Common questions
- What are the best entry-level jobs in the UK for teenagers?
- Retail assistant, waiting and bar work, barista, kitchen porter, warehouse picker packer, care assistant and customer service are the roles UK employers most often fill with teenagers who have no experience. All of them train on the job, and most accept a short application form rather than a long CV.
- Can I change career at 18 in the UK?
- Yes. At 18 you can start an apprenticeship at any level, restart or switch a college course, take a free short course, or move straight into an entry-level job that trains you. Apprenticeships have no upper age limit, so changing direction at 18 is normal rather than late.
- How do I find entry-level jobs near me?
- Search by your town or postcode rather than by job title, apply to several employers in the same week, and check local employers directly as well as job boards. Shine matches you to live UK vacancies and apprenticeships near you based on where you live and what you are interested in.
- Do I need qualifications for an entry-level job?
- Most UK entry-level jobs ask for no formal qualifications. Some apprenticeships ask for GCSE maths and English at grade 4 or above, and where you do not have them, many providers let you study them alongside the apprenticeship.
- Is 18 too late to start an apprenticeship?
- No. There is no upper age limit for apprenticeships in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland. Eighteen and nineteen are among the most common starting ages, and older starters are often paid above the apprentice minimum.
Related guides
Part of Shine's apprenticeship guide series, plain-English answers, updated regularly.
- Apprenticeships in the UKWhat is an apprenticeship and how do you get one?
- Engineering apprenticeshipsWhat is an engineering apprenticeship?
- Construction apprenticeshipsWhat is a construction apprenticeship?
- STEM apprenticeshipsWhat is a STEM apprenticeship?
- IT & digital apprenticeshipsWhat is an IT apprenticeship?
- Manufacturing apprenticeshipsWhat is a manufacturing apprenticeship?
- Agriculture apprenticeshipsWhat is an agriculture apprenticeship?
- Degree apprenticeshipsWhat is a degree apprenticeship?
- London apprenticeshipsHow do you find an apprenticeship in London?
- Apprenticeships vs UCASCan you apply for apprenticeships through UCAS?
- School leaver jobsWhat jobs can you get after leaving school?
- Jobs for 16 & 17 year oldsWhat jobs can you get at 16 or 17 in the UK?
- Weekend jobs at 16What weekend jobs can you get at 16?
- Summer jobs for teenagersHow do you get a summer job at 16 or 17?
- Jobs for 16 year oldsWhat jobs can you get at 16 in the UK?
- Jobs for 17 year oldsWhat jobs can you get at 17 in the UK?
- First CV with no experienceHow do you write a CV at 16 or 17 with no work experience?
- Jobs with no experienceHow do you get a job with no experience at 16–24?
- Routes into medicineHow do you get into medicine in the UK?
- Routes into scienceHow do you get into a science career without a degree?
- T Levels explainedWhat is a T Level and what is it worth?
- Transferable skillsWhat are transferable skills and how do you build them?
- UK youth work & pay factsWhat is the minimum wage and how many hours can you work at 16 or 17 in the UK?
- T Levels vs apprenticeships vs A levelsShould you do a T Level, an apprenticeship or A levels?
- Apprenticeship vs universityIs an apprenticeship better than university?
- What to do after GCSEs or A levelsWhat are your options after GCSEs or A levels?
- Well-paid jobs without a degreeWhat are the best-paid UK jobs you can get without a degree?
- Free online coursesWhat free online courses can a 16 to 24 year old do in the UK?
- Volunteering for teenagersHow do you find volunteering as a teenager in the UK?
- Changing direction at 18 to 24How do you change career direction at 18 to 24 in the UK?
- Jobs for 18 year oldsWhat jobs can you get at 18 in the UK?
- Retraining without full-time studyHow do you retrain without going back to full-time study?
- What job should I do?How do you decide what job you should do?
- How to prepare for an interviewHow do you prepare for a first job or apprenticeship interview?