Is it possible to be a Young Apprentice twice? See the rules

You want to know if it is possible be a Young Apprentice twice? This program can be an excellent gateway to the job market, but a common question among those who have already participated in the program is whether it is possible to be a Young Apprentice twice. The answer to this question depends on some factors and rules that we will clarify below. Check it out!

Rules of the Young Apprentice Program

The Young Apprentice program is known for offering young people the opportunity to gain professional experience while continuing their studies.

It was created by the Apprenticeship Law (Law No. 10,097/2000) and aims to provide professional qualifications to young people, through a first employment opportunity.

However, there are some specific rules that regulate participation in the program. See below what they are.

Age limit

The law establishes that to be a Young Apprentice you must be between 14 and 24 years old. 

However, the minimum and maximum age may also vary depending on the area of activity and the company in which you will work. 

Just to illustrate, some companies only hire young people from the age of 16 or, in some cases, up to 21 years old.

Furthermore, it is also important to remember that there is no age limit for people with disabilities. In other words, companies participating in the program can hire people with disabilities of any age. 

Educational background

To participate in the program, you must also be enrolled and attending school if you have not completed high school. 

In fact, this is an essential requirement for participation in the program and if the student loses the school year due to the number of absences, their contract may be terminated early.

Single contract per company

In addition to what we mentioned above, one of the main points to consider is that Brazilian legislation allows young people to be hired as apprentices only once per company. 

This means that if you have already participated in the program as an apprentice at a given company, you cannot be hired again by that company in that capacity.

Is it possible to be a Young Apprentice twice?

Despite the rule of a single contract per company, the legislation does not prevent the young person from participating in the program again in another company. 

I.e, It is possible to be a Young Apprentice twice, as long as it is in different companies and you still meet the program requirements, such as age range and educational background.

In addition, there is another important detail, which is the contract period. According to the law, you can work as a Young Apprentice for up to 2 years.

Therefore, if you were hired to work for 1 year and ended this contract, you may find another 1-year opportunity as a Young Apprentice.

However, if the term of both contracts is longer than this 2-year period, this will not be possible.

What happens after the Young Apprentice contract ends?

After the end of the contract, the company may choose to make the young person a permanent employee, if he or she has demonstrated good performance and the desired profile for the position. 

However, if the job is not completed, the young person may seek new opportunities, including participating in the program again at another company, as mentioned above.

Participating in the Young Apprentice program more than once can be an excellent way to continue accumulating professional experience, as long as the rules established by law are respected. 

Therefore, if you have already been an apprentice and still meet the requirements, be sure to look for new opportunities in other companies.

Written by

Daniele Freitas