Temporary work gives you fast entry into paid roles, the freedom to choose shifts and real opportunities to grow your career.
If you want a quick, practical way to start earning, build confidence, and test different jobs without long-term commitments, temporary roles across a range of sectors (driving, warehousing, maintenance engineering, manufacturing, facilities, retail, and hospitality) are a smart route.
Temping lets you choose shifts, learn on the job, and show employers what you can do, often with little to no experience. And at a time when almost 1 in 7 young people1 are not in education or work, these accessible, flexible routes into paid work matter more than ever.
Temporary roles give you the freedom to choose when and where you work. This flexibility increasingly means having real control over your shifts, from predictable hours to easy swap options. This kind of practical, day‑to‑day flexibility helps you balance everything from commuting needs and caring responsibilities to future study plans, health commitments, and more.
Temporary work is not restricted to people with proven experience; it often favours those with the behavioural and motivational requirements of the work on offer. Skills and capabilities are important; however, the value of transferable skills is recognised, even when they come from life rather than work experience. Employers value reliability, basic safety awareness, and a willingness to learn. You’ll get paid while building experience, often faster than waiting for longer education or formal training routes.
Unsure if you’ll like warehouse operations, facilities, or retail? Temping lets you test roles without long contracts, then move to where you fit best. It also allows you to try different roles and responsibilities, without narrowing your career to a specific path.
Temping doesn’t always have to be temporary. It is common for this type of work to lead to a permanent job opportunity for those interested in this option. Critically, the range of skills and experience you can add to your CV through temporary work can put you ahead of the game for future permanent job applications. Where other applicants from a permanent background may have only one company name on their CV, you’ll have the knowledge of the inner workings of a range of businesses, giving you that competitive advantage.
Work builds routine, skills, references, and, perhaps more importantly, self‑belief. Temporary work gives you that first step into the world of work, often without the pressure of permanent jobs, allowing you to grow in confidence and setting you on the best path to success.
It doesn’t have to be the one you stay with but consider what interests you most and look at opportunities linked to this. Good first‑roles for 16–24s include: warehouse operative, picker/packer, drivers’ mate, facilities/cleaning, catering assistant, call centre, admin and retail assistant. Use either the Career Advice section of the Blue Arrow website or the National Careers Service to explore job profiles and the skills you’ll need.
Search local “temp” or “recruitment” agencies hiring for your chosen sector or preferred job roles. When you sign up, you’ll complete right‑to‑work checks and will be taken through a range of work opportunities for consideration.
Use the CV guides on the Blue Arrow website or the National Careers Service CV tips2 and skills assessment to build your CV. Core things to highlight and words to use for most temporary work CVs include reliability, teamwork, punctuality, and, if you have any training or relevant qualifications, always reference these (e.g. manual handling, food hygiene or health and safety).
If you are registered with a JobCentre or are on Universal Credit, you should have access to a Jobcentre Work Coach. These are Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) staff who provide tailored support to help individuals find employment, improve skills, or progress in their careers. They offer personalised, regular, face-to-face or telephone appointments to match claimants with vacancies and local opportunities. Ask your Jobcentre Work Coach about options including:
It’s important to know your day‑one rights as an agency or temp worker. By law, you are entitled to:
Temp → Sector-Based Work Academy Programmes → Bootcamp → Apprenticeship/Foundation Apprenticeship → Greater Temp Opportunities or a Permanent Position.
This staged approach reduces risk, builds confidence, and keeps you in control.
