6. Employment
The greatest number of job vacancies in Norfolk tend to be in:
Health and care
Retail - despite the recession, there is still a regular flow of entry-level vacancies
Business and professional services - including ICT, legal, accounting, marketing and property services
Tourism and hospitality - more people are choosing to go on holiday in the UK
Want to start working? This is a positive choice, and isn't automatically second best to either carrying on with full-time study at college or going on to university - particularly if you choose to do training alongside work.
Where are the jobs?
The job market is constantly changing in Norfolk. Some areas, like energy generation, are growing rapidly. You can find details of the sectors that are expected to develop in Norfolk at the Norfolk LMInet website.
The job opportunities available to you will also depend on where you can travel to. For example:
- advanced manufacturing is still strong in West and South Norfolk
- the business and finance sector is strongest around Norwich
- there are hotel, catering and leisure industries in North and East Norfolk, around the Broads and the coast
- Remember, the better your qualifications, the better your job prospects will be
- There are many ways to gain further qualifications - you don't necessarily have to do a traditional college or university degree course to gain them. There are opportunities to continue learning but gain valuable work experience and be paid a wage at the same time (see the Apprenticeships page)
- Look for jobs that match your own skills and interests. For example, do you like working outdoors? In an office? With people?
- For more information on the job market in Norfolk, visit Norfolk LMInet
What you can earn
There's a National Minimum Wage (NMW), which is different depending on your age and whether you are an apprentice.
The current NMW rates (per hour) are:
| Age | Apprentice? | NMW |
|---|---|---|
| Under 19 | Yes | £2.50 |
| 19 or over and on first year of Apprenticeship | Yes | £2.50 |
| 16-17 and above school-leaving age | No | £3.67 |
| 18-20 | No | £4.92 |
| 21 or over | No | £5.93 |
Most workers in the UK over school age are legally entitled to be paid at least the NMW - all employers have to pay it to you if you are entitled to it.
Finding work
There's information and advice on finding and applying for work in the Finding a Job pages.
