Apprenticeships you can start at 16

Can you start an apprenticeship at 16?

Yes. In England you can start an apprenticeship at 16, and many big employers say so on their own pages, including Aldi, the Civil Service and SSE. Some programmes, especially degree apprenticeships, need you to be 18, so check each one.

Apprenticeships you can start at 16: 9 employers we've researched
Employer	Programme	What the employer says
Aldi UK Retail and logistics	Store and warehouse apprenticeships	You can apply in your final year at school, but must be at least 16 with your exam results before you start.
Civil Service Public services	Career Launch and other apprenticeships	Open to anyone aged 16 or older who isn't in full-time education.
SSE Energy and utilities	Apprenticeships	You need to be 16 or over when the programme starts, with no upper age limit.
Severn Trent Energy and utilities	Level 2 and 3 apprenticeships	16 or over by the end of the school summer holidays. Higher and degree apprenticeships need you to be 18.
Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) Engineering and manufacturing	Apprenticeships	You can apply before you're 16 if you'll be 16 by the start date.
Transport for London (TfL) Transport and aviation	Level 3 programmes such as IT Solutions Technician	Take people from 16. Finance and Land Surveying need you to be 18 by the start.
British Airways Transport and aviation	Some programmes	Some need you to be 16 by the start date, and others 18.
Barratt Redrow Construction and infrastructure	Construction Support Technician apprenticeship	Aged 16 or over, with 5 GCSEs at grade 4 including maths and English.
NIE Networks Energy and utilities	Electricity network apprenticeships	You must be 16 by the September start date, with 3 GCSEs at A* to D including maths, English and a STEM subject.

This list only includes employers whose own pages say you can start at 16. Some only take 16 year olds on certain programmes, so read the detail and check the employer's page before you apply.