Routes and pathways to work
Find your route into work with our quick quiz and guide!
Getting into work can seem dauting, but there's lots of different routes in.
Some people start a job straight away, others train while they work, and some build skills through college or short courses first.
Volunteering or work experience can also help you grow confidence and stand out to employers.
Whether you’re interested in an apprenticeship, uni route, starting your own business, or need extra support to get started, there’s a pathway that can fit you. This guide explains the main options.
Find your route into work with a quick quiz
Some people are ready to go straight into work. They can apply for entry-level jobs that don’t always need lots of qualifications, like retail, hospitality, customer service, or warehouse work. These jobs help them build experience and transferable skills.
An apprenticeship means learning on the job while also studying towards a qualification. They’re paid, so you can earn while you learn. Apprenticeships are available in almost every sector from construction, health and care, digital, business, creative industries, and more. Find apprenticeships near you.
These are short programmes designed to help young people build confidence, improve skills like CV writing or interview techniques, and get some work experience. They’re often a stepping stone into apprenticeships or jobs.
For young people with additional needs, supported internships combine work placements with extra help from a job coach or mentor. They’re designed to make the transition into paid work smoother and more achievable. Read our guide to supported internships.
Some may choose to carry on with a course at college—like a vocational qualification (e.g. plumbing, childcare, health & social care, hairdressing) with a clear route into jobs in that sector.
Although unpaid, volunteering and short work experience placements are a great way to build confidence, skills, and connections. It often makes a young person’s CV stand out to future employers.
For those who go on to university or higher education, graduate schemes and internships are a route into professional roles with structured training and progression.
Some young people may want to set up their own business or work freelance (common in areas like digital, design, or creative industries). There are schemes that offer advice, mentoring, and sometimes funding to help.
There are also specialist services (like Jobcentre Plus Youth Hubs, local council projects, or voluntary organisations) that provide tailored advice, coaching, and links to employers for young people struggling to find the right path. Skills Connect can also help you find work, improve your CV and prepare for interviews. Get free 1:1 careers support.