School leaver schemes
Some companies offer school leaver schemes to young people who have completed A levels. The schemes allow you to learn and train with a large company while earning a wage.
School leaver schemes are usually similar to graduate schemes, except they’re aimed at school leavers.
Starting a school leavers scheme
To start a school leaver scheme, you’ll need to:
- be 18 or over
- not be in full-time education
Usually, the schemes require high A level grades or equivalent qualifications.
You can apply for a school leavers scheme while you’re still at school.
What you'll do on the school leavers scheme
Employers create their own schemes, so each one will be slightly different.
You may:
- follow a training programme
- earn a qualification, but not always
- rotate between different locations with the same company
- complete training online, in college or at a university
Sectors you could work in
School leaver schemes are offered by employers in sectors such as:
- accounting and finance
- engineering
- law
- leisure
- retail
After your school leaver scheme
Once you’ve finished a school leaver scheme, you could:
- get a job with your current employer, they might like to hire you because they’ve trained you and know you can do the job the way they’d like
- find a new job with a different employer
- get more qualifications with an apprenticeship or higher education
- volunteer for more experience to help you get a permanent job
Applying for a school leavers scheme
You’ll need to check each company’s website to see if they offer a school leaver scheme and how to apply.
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