Early Career Routes Explained

1. Work experience

What it is and who it suits

A short-term stint with an employer—ranging from a single insight day or virtual programme to one or two weeks in a workplace. It is designed for school and college students (Years 10–13) or first-year university students who want to test the waters in an industry before committing to a longer route.

What you need to know

• Requirements are minimal: Employers look for curiosity and enthusiasm rather than prior qualifications or work history.
• Mostly observational: Traditional school work experience involves shadowing teams and seeing how a business operates rather than doing independent billable work, which is why short work-shadowing placements are often unpaid (though many large employers cover travel and lunch expenses, and university insight weeks are frequently paid).
• A strong stepping stone: Having work experience or an insight day on your CV demonstrates early interest in a sector when you later apply for apprenticeships or internships and spring weeks.

2. Apprenticeships

What it is and who it suits

A real, paid job where you earn a salary while studying towards a recognised qualification. In England, you spend at least 20% of your paid hours in off-the-job training with a college, university, or training provider, and the rest working alongside experienced colleagues. Apprenticeships are open to anyone aged 16 or over, from GCSE and A-level school leavers to career changers.

What you need to know

• Levels 2 to 7: Intermediate (Level 2) and Advanced (Level 3) apprenticeships typically ask for GCSEs (including English and maths). Higher (Levels 4–5) and degree apprenticeships (Levels 6–7) typically ask for A-levels or BTECs and let you earn a full degree or professional qualification (such as solicitor or chartered accountant status) with zero tuition debt. See apprenticeship levels explained for the full breakdown.
• Competitive selection: Degree apprenticeships at major employers use the same multi-stage assessments and interviews as graduate schemes.
• Compare the finances: If you are weighing up sixth-form options, read our breakdown of degree apprenticeship vs university costs and outcomes.

3. Internships

What it is and who it suits

A fixed-term paid placement—usually lasting 4 to 12 weeks over the summer holidays—where you join a team and deliver real project work. Most summer internships target university students in their penultimate (second-to-last) year of study, while 1-week "spring weeks" target first-year undergraduates.

What you need to know

• Your pay rights: Under UK employment law, if you are doing productive work as a "worker", you must be paid at least the National Minimum Wage.
• The return-offer pipeline: Large employers in banking, law, consulting, tech, and engineering use summer internships (and legal vacation schemes) as an extended assessment. Perform well and you can leave with a confirmed graduate job offer before your final year starts. Read our full guide to placements, internships and spring weeks.

4. Placement year (year in industry)

What it is and who it suits

A 9-to-12-month salaried role taken between the second and final year of a four-year "sandwich" degree at university. You work as a full-time employee before returning to university for your final year.

What you need to know

• Apply in your second year: Recruitment follows the same autumn-to-spring cycle as graduate schemes, meaning you apply at the start of your second year of university.
• Reduced tuition fee: While on placement, you earn a full-time salary from your employer and pay a much smaller placement-year tuition fee to your university.
• High conversion rate: Like summer internships, a successful placement year frequently converts into a graduate scheme offer for after your final exams. See placements, internships and spring weeks explained for timelines.

5. Graduate schemes

What it is and who it suits

A structured, one-to-three-year training programme run by large employers for final-year university students and recent graduates. You join alongside a cohort of peers, rotate through several departments or teams, and often study towards a sponsored professional qualification (such as ACA, ACCA, CEng, or CIPD).

What you need to know

• Apply a year ahead: Most schemes open in September or October for roles starting the following September, and many close between November and January.
• Entry requirements are evolving: Many schemes still ask for a 2:1 degree, particularly in investment banking and commercial law, while others—including EY, PwC, Network Rail, and the Civil Service Fast Stream—accept a 2:2 or have dropped minimum degree classifications. See do you really need a 2:1? and our complete guide to graduate schemes.

6. Entry-level jobs

What it is and who it suits

A permanent, direct-entry job that requires little or no prior experience in the field. Unlike a rotational graduate scheme, you are hired into one specific team and role from day one (for example, Junior Data Analyst, Marketing Assistant, or Trainee Technician). They suit both school/college leavers and graduates.

What you need to know

• Open year-round: Employers advertise entry-level jobs whenever a vacancy opens, usually looking for someone to start within a few weeks.
• Simpler hiring process: Instead of four rounds of psychometric tests and assessment centres, you typically apply with a CV, a cover letter, and one or two interviews.
• Immediate specialisation: You skip multi-department rotations and build specialist experience in your chosen role right away. Compare both options in graduate schemes vs graduate jobs and our entry-level jobs guide.

FAQ

• Can I apply for both degree apprenticeships and university at the same time?↓

  Can I apply for both degree apprenticeships and university at the same time?

  Yes. You can submit your five UCAS university choices while applying directly to employers for degree apprenticeships. Because apprenticeship applications are separate from your five UCAS university choices, doing both keeps your options open until you have offers in hand.

• What is the difference between an internship and a placement year?↓

  What is the difference between an internship and a placement year?

  An internship is typically a short summer placement lasting 4 to 12 weeks during the university holidays. A placement year (or industrial placement) lasts 9 to 12 months and counts as a formal year in industry between the second and final year of a sandwich degree.

• What if I missed the autumn deadlines for graduate schemes?↓

  What if I missed the autumn deadlines for graduate schemes?

  Do not panic. Many employers keep roles open into spring, and direct-entry graduate jobs and entry-level roles recruit all year round with much shorter application processes.

• Can university graduates apply for apprenticeships?↓

  Can university graduates apply for apprenticeships?

  Yes, provided the apprenticeship is in a materially different subject or at a higher level than your existing degree. Note that since January 2026, government funding for Level 7 apprenticeships in England is restricted to starters aged 21 and under (or up to 24 for care leavers and those with an EHC plan).

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