In Ireland, you can legally start working from 14. However, work during school terms is limited, and the general minimum age for regular employment is 16. 16 and 17-year-olds can work up to 8 hours per day and 40 hours a week, but cannot work before 6:00 or after 22:00 on school nights. Under Irish law, employers must pay workers under 18 at least 70% of the full minimum wage, which means there's an age-adjusted minimum wage for those under 18. With that in mind, here are the best jobs for teenagers in Ireland.
| Job type | Typical minimum age | Experience required | Average hourly rate (Ireland) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barista / Café Assistant | 16 | None | €9–€11 |
| Childcare Provider / Babysitter | 14–16 | Informal / trust-based | €10–€15 |
| Delivery Driver (bike/scooter) | 16 | None | €9–€12 |
| Event Staff | 16 | None to basic | €10–€14 |
| Golf Caddy | 16 | Golf knowledge helpful | €10–€13 (plus tips) |
| Hotel or Accommodation Assistant | 16 | None | €9–€12 |
| Lifeguard | 16 | Required qualification | €11–€15 |
| Pet Sitter / Dog Walker | 14–16 | Informal / platform-based | €10–€15 |
| Retail Sales Associate | 16 | None | €9–€11 |
| Social Media or Digital Assistant | 16 | Skills-based | €12–€20 |
| Sports Coach Assistant / Activity Leader | 16 | Sport experience helpful | €10–€14 |
| Summer Camp Helper | 16 | None | €10–€14 |
| Tutor | 16–18 | Subject knowledge | €15–€25 |
| Waiter / Waitress | 16 | None | €9–€11 (plus tips) |
| Writer / Content Creator | 16 | Skills-based | €12–€25 |
Barista / Café Assistant
Working in a café, either as a barista or an assistant, is a popular job for teenagers in Ireland. In towns and cities, cafés may look to younger staff to cover busy weekend shifts, early mornings, and holiday periods. No formal qualifications are required, but employers will look for speed and a good attitude towards customers. The role can involve taking orders, preparing drinks, handling cash, cleaning tables, and restocking supplies. Baristas will learn how to use coffee machines to prepare more complex drinks. Busy cafés may pay slightly above the base rate, with tips boosting your earnings.
Ireland’s employment laws treat teenage workers differently from adults to balance work with education and development. Young people are still legally required to attend school, and employment protections are designed to prevent long hours, late-night shifts, and unsafe working conditions from affecting learning or health. For employers, this means scheduling teenage staff carefully and limiting certain types of work. For teenagers and parents, understanding this balance helps set realistic expectations for hours, pay, and the types of roles suitable at different ages.
Childcare Provider/Babysitter
Babysitting and providing childcare have long been among the classic roles for teenagers. It's a great opportunity for teens to prove they're responsible while earning some extra cash.
However, when done right, babysitting could become a real money-spinner.
With the right kind of service and professionalism, you could command a much higher salary than a few Euros an hour, though it's unlikely that you'll make the average salary in Ireland.
Discerning parents will pay extra to know that their child is properly cared for rather than just watched.
Consider creating tailored plans and activities for each child, offering a tailored babysitting service, and making it clear to parents what they're paying for.
This could include cooking dinner, cleaning the child's room, and going through their homework. There are lots of ways to add extra value to the service you're offering, and if you do it right, parents will pay a premium for an excellent service.
before they can begin regular part-time work under employment law.
Delivery Driver
Delivery drivers once needed a driving license and a car to do their job. Now, with the democratisation of delivery services, especially for food and groceries, deliveries are being increasingly made by bicycle and scooter. Certain delivery services operate through apps. They can go from one takeaway to another or from one supermarket to another, making deliveries for customers. If you do it right and deliver quickly, you could earn a decent amount while being out and about. However, if you have a driving licence and can drive a car or van, you could consider delivering for companies. This could be shopping or even white goods, and tends to pay more than the apps.
Event Staff
Catering companies and event organisers are often looking for staff to help with events. This is the kind of job that doesn't always require much experience or any qualifications, but to work for the best and highest-paying companies, experience certainly helps. While you might start with basic event catering, experience will be your way into more prestigious companies for fancier events that often come with better salaries. Look directly for the companies that pay event staff the most, and remember that far more will be expected of you during your shifts from those that pay the highest salaries.
For most teenagers, a first job is less about earning a high wage and more about building experience. Entry-level roles typically pay close to the legal minimum for under-18s, particularly in retail, hospitality, and care work. While this can feel disappointing at first, these roles often lead to better-paid shifts, tips, or progression once trust and experience are established. Many employers increase pay informally for reliable staff, especially during busy periods such as weekends and school holidays.
Golf Caddy
An entry-level gold caddy earns around €25,000 a year in Ireland, but teenagers are unlikely to be on this salary. If you live near a golf course and have spent your life playing, caddying could be an excellent way to spend even more time there. The more time on the course, the better, and certain golfers may even tip you for your services. If you take pride in your job and are incredibly helpful, you might find a few extra banknotes in your pocket at the end of a round of golf.
hours per week under Irish law.
Hotel or Accommodation Assistant
In hotels, guesthouses, and hostels, teenagers can work in a number of entry-level roles, especially during the peak tourist seasons. Jobs can include housekeeping, breakfast service, or support roles within the hotel. These roles are available to teens in both urban and rural areas of Ireland, as well as to 16- and 17-year-olds. Remember that this work can be quite physically demanding, as you will need to clean rooms, change linens, set up breakfast areas, and assist guests with basic requests. Hotel work is usually well structured, with clear shifts and defined responsibilities. In some cases, hotel pay is quite competitive with retail roles during busy periods. Hotel work is also a good way to gain exposure to fairly professional working environments, especially in hotel chains.
Lifeguard
To become a pool lifeguard in Ireland, you need to take the National Pool Lifeguard Qualification. This qualification is open to those aged 16 or older. Naturally, you also need to be able to swim. Specifically, this includes jumping or diving into deep water, swimming 50 metres in under 50 seconds, and swimming 100 metres continuously on front and back in deep water. The average entry-level lifeguard positions earn close to €24,000 a year. The most experienced lifeguards can earn €35,000.
Pet Sitter/Dog Walker
Much like caring for children (sometimes with little difference), pet sitting and dog walking involve caring for someone's most precious possessions. Pet sitters can earn well, especially if they're enterprising. You can get into pet sitting and dog walking through various apps. In Ireland, these sites and apps include Cat in a Flat, Mindme, Pawshake, Gudog, and Pet Lovers Ireland. Most sites effectively work as freelancing websites for pet sitters. You can create a profile, look for work, and start building your reputation as a pet sitter. As always, the better the service you offer, and the more extras you include, the further they can go toward helping you build your reputation.
Retail Sales Associate
A common job for teenagers is working in a shop. While most shops are happy to accept and train teenagers to work as retail sales associates, sales assistants, or whatever they choose to call them, you want to look at more prestigious shops and stores to earn the best money. Of course, the more prestigious the store, the more they'll expect from their staff, and the pay will be more in line with their expectations.
In retail, you can earn your money by stacking shelves, helping customers, and ringing up customer purchases. Depending on the company, there may be much more to it than that, and you may be required to gain in-depth knowledge of certain products and services. Working in retail is one of those roles you'll never forget, offering opportunities to work with interesting customers from all walks of life.
Not every job suits every student, even if the pay looks attractive. Some roles demand early starts, physical effort, or long periods on your feet, which can be difficult to combine with homework and exams. Others offer short, flexible shifts that fit better around school commitments. When choosing a job, teenagers should consider travel time, shift length, and recovery time, not just hourly pay. A slightly lower-paid role that fits your schedule often works out better in the long run than one that causes stress or burnout.
Social Media or Digital Assistant (Small Businesses)
For certain teens, social media may seem like a dream job, especially for fans of Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, X, or BlueSky. This work can involve creating posts, responding to messages, editing short videos, and planning content schedules. This is a skill-based job rather than an age-based one, and if you understand social media trends, are creative, and can demonstrate success, you can be well paid for your talents. Just remember that this may feel like a dream job for many teens, but it isn't just about playing on social media and creating content; many employers will look for results, want reports on social media performance, and expect a level of professionalism in their social media.
of the adult minimum wage.
Sports Coach Assistant / Activity Leader
Teens who are physically active and have skills in certain sports may enjoy working at local football clubs, swimming schools, gymnastics programmes, or community sports organisations. They mightn't be teaching programmes or coaching directly, but they may be involved in setting up equipment and assisting qualified coaches. For this role, you need to be enthusiastic, responsible, and potentially have some background in the sport. Formal coaching qualifications mightn't be necessary at the entry level, though. You'll find these kinds of roles are available in the evenings, on weekends, and during school holidays, making them a compatible option for full-time students.
Summer Camps
Summer camps are obviously seasonal, but the good thing is that you know they're on when there isn't school. Summer camps across Ireland employ large numbers of teenagers and young adults to supervise children and organise activities. These roles are often seasonal, but they do offer good earning potential over a short period and with camps that provide meals and accommodation, you also have fewer outgoings, making your summers quite lucrative if you're trying to save.
Your duties may include leading games, assisting with arts and crafts, supervising mealtimes, or helping with outdoor activities. You need to be energetic and patient, responsible, and able to work in a team. This is a great role for teens who enjoy working with children and being active.
Tutor
While teenagers mightn't have professional experience or academic qualifications, their knowledge in certain subjects can make them great tutors.
You could become a private tutor, especially if you're good at a certain subject. Generally, tutors won't teach people at a level higher than them for obvious reasons, but you can typically teach up to a level below the level you have.
Junior Cycle comprises Levels 1, 2, and 3. The Leaving Cert is Level 4 and 5. It's a good idea to get your Leaving Cert before tutoring Junior Cycle, a degree before tutoring Leaving Cert, etc.
Generally, tutoring isn't a job that requires any qualifications, but you do need to know what you're tutoring and understand the teaching approaches that will help you to teach effectively.
There are lots of great jobs you can do without a degree. However, if you'd like to tutor kids in primary school, you won't need more than a secondary school education and a lot of patience. You can sign up for websites like Superprof to create a tutoring profile and start offering private tutoring immediately. Tutors are typically paid hourly for their tutoring, so to make a decent wage, you have to charge a rate per hour that will work out as profitable once you've taught each session.
Waiter/Waitress
Much like with catering, working in restaurants as a waiter or waitress doesn't necessarily need any qualifications, though experience will greatly help.
The best way to earn well as a waiter or waitress is through restaurants where you can offer great service, and customers are likely to tip handsomely.
For teenagers with no experience or qualifications, if you work hard and provide impeccable customer service, you can earn quite well waiting tables.
Typically, waiters and waitresses are paid hourly for the time they work, but tips for good service can make the difference.
However, just remember that it's often much harder than it looks. You're not just ferrying plates to and from the kitchen; you also need to know who's having what, where each dish goes, and how long each table has been waiting to order.
Writer/Content Creator
Now, the world is full of content creators. Whether this content is written or filmed for social media, many people are looking to make money from the content they create.
While not one of the highest-paid jobs on average, the best content creators are definitely top earners.
Monetising content can be tricky, but if you have a knack for writing or creating engaging content, you might find you can make decent money from it.
You can create your own channels or platforms and look to monetise them, or you could work for larger media companies and be paid by the word, hour, or video minute.
There are lots of different ways to get into content creation, and, as a newer industry, there's not really an established career path.
Instead, you'll have to research the different ways others have been able to live off content creation and look to emulate their successes (while avoiding their mistakes!). Copywriting is also one of the best jobs you can do remotely.
Work with a Private Tutor
If you need help developing skills or studying an academic subject, simply look for a private tutor to help you. There are plenty of qualified and experienced tutors on the Superprof website, so you just need to search for what you want to learn and start browsing. On each tutor's profile, you can see what skills they have, what their hourly rate is, and what their other students thought of the work they've done. Tutors on Superprof usually offer the first session for free, so try a few out before choosing the one that's right for you and how you like to learn.
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