Young Wrexham

Education, Employment & Training

Every day you learn something new, your education starts from the moment you are born and carries on for the rest of your life.

Education is important in learning the basic skills in life, finding a job and accessing a whole range of opportunities.

Most people relate education to being in school - this is full-time compulsory education by law for all children and young people aged between 5 and 16 years old.

After Year 11 you have to make some decisions about your future about whether you want to stay in school, go to college or get a job. Starting a college course, training or finding a job can seem like a daunting task, leaving your classmates and friends and the routines you have been used to for years but there is plenty of help and advice available to help you make your decisions.

At 16 years of age you can choose to continue to study for a further two years in sixth form or a local college studying A-levels or other qualifications.

If you’re keen to start work straight away, you might be tempted to take a job where training isn’t provided but this might not be the best option as training and qualifications help you to get ahead in life and move up the career ladder. There are also ways you can learn and train as you work with many employers offering this as an option through NVQ's and apprenticeships. Before you accept a job, find out what training they will offer you including any qualifications you can study for and how you can progress in the company.

Make sure that you will be paid at least the National Minimum Wage (NEW) for your age group, this is an hourly rate of pay that you will be entitled to by law in the UK that is reviewed every year.

Throughout your life you might change jobs a number of times, go on to study different courses and access higher education. It is never too late to start learning something new and developing your skills, adding to your knowledge and qualifications.

This section tells you about your options with your education and offers advice and tips on accessing employment and training.