What are the options for 6th form leavers if jot going to university and can't get an apprenticeship?

Take a look at the essential and desirable qualities that are needed for the sorts of jobs or apprenticeships she might want and work out if she has any obvious gaps in her background or if there's anything she could enhance.

I highly recommend getting volunteer experience in anything that looks like a gap or that might fit with future work. For example, our local library uses volunteers, especially young people, to help people uncertain about new technology to use the library computers or to sort out their own digital devices. One wonderful young volunteer who was a sixth-former was very patient with me when I needed advice about what kind of kit I might want to buy for playing audio books. He was ticking many boxes for customer service jobs as well as anything that involved communicating IT-related stuff clearly. Several years ago, one of my own children deliberately took over running all the publicity, social media and website for a year for a group he was involved with, just to fill that gap on his CV. There's lots of options if you look for them and this sort of thing might help her stand out in her applications and will certainly give her different things to talk about at interview.

If she's volunteered reliably for a few months, the organisation may well be willing to give her a work reference as well which can be really helpful if you are starting out without a paid employment record.

I think it's actually harder to get apprenticeships than places at a university.
For IT, I think she'll need to show a genuine interest in the subject (doesn't have to be building their own kit and learning coding - but they need to have done something outside of their studies), plus some degree of work experience (I would think the Year 12 would be good enough here if she can evidence the soft skills gained).

Look at Level 3 apprenticeships- they can lead on to higher level ones.
Consider entry level IT jobs, or indeed other entry level jobs, particularly in big companies that might offer apprenticeships to employees that prove themselves.

It's worth keeping her eyes open between September-December - DH and I both know of companies who had apprentices drop out before starting (took up uni place instead) leaving the company wanting to fill a vacancy for someone who could start quickly.

I have exactly the same issue for ds2. I consider Apprenticeships to be the 'creme de la crème' and like gold dust.

Son went into Local Government who later funded his degree and Masters and daughter worked in a bank and later moved to Local Government. They simply applied for the roles advertised.

What do they mean by an ‘IT hobbyist’?

Not IT - DD1 accountancy level 7 apprentice @ 18. Started looking ‘out of interest’ during yr12. Started applying October/Dec of Yr13 & applied to around 8-10. She also had uni offers to fall back on if wasn’t successful in getting an apprenticeship.
Again not IT - DD2 applied to around 5 level 6 apprenticeships in retail/business/sales. Started looking/applying in October (ish) of yr13 but some not advertised until Easter - so getting close to exam time. Got nowhere and went to Uni.

I do think it’s a bit of a numbers game and best to apply to anything and everything that appeals. It’s practice if nothing else. Tell her not to get too disheartened and keep trying. DD1 was turned down by some small / mid tier firms yet was accepted by a big4 🤷‍♀️ Good luck to her!

My son is 18; he didn’t go to university and doesn’t know what he wants to do as a career. He’s a very young 18 too. He’s decided to do a year of working (he has 2 part time jobs) whilst he figures out what he wants to do in life/focus on. Plan is to look for an apprenticeship later in the year

DD1 finished Y13 last summer. She didn't want to go to Uni so she applied for entry level jobs in the field she thought she wanted to work in.

She started as a Junior Accounts Assistant. After she finished her probation the company have now offered to pay for her to start her AAT. As it's not a traditional apprenticeship she will have to study in her own time but she's fine with that. She's earning a really good salary, learning loads and gaining invaluable experience. Out of her friend group, two went to Uni, two got apprenticeships at large corporates, the time to be applying for these is from the December of Y13 onwards and the other two also got entry level jobs.

There are lots of options out there.

are they looking to go into IT?

If so, do they have any idea which aspect?

IT help desk roles are generally entry level.

Do they program already? If so, then which languages?

I know a young person who started working at the local estate agents and loved it.

There are also lots of opportunities to work as LSAs (i.e. in school) where I live - a good way to explore whether working with young people might be of interest.

Researching careers inside and outside IT, doing side projects on the likes of Github and/or getting paid work experience in, say, retail could all be potentially helpful building blocks for more informed decisions and evidence of self-reflection and employability when the time comes to apply for jobs, whether they are within apprenticeship schemes or not.

L4 and L6 IT focused apprenticeships tend to be advertised Sep-Jan, though - particularly the L4 ones - can appear throughout the year. There is no single place to view vacancies, though the Government apprenticeship website, UCAS website and Notgoingtouni are all good starting points.

DS and DD1 both started on a Level 2 Accountancy Apprenticeship. DD has just completed Level 7 and is now a Chartered Accountant (ACCA). DS stopped after level 4 and is working as a Finance Manager. DD2 dropped out of sixth form and went straight into a Level 3 Data Analysis Apprenticeship, with a plan to move onto a Level 5 once she completes it next year.

Yes they (usually) go and get a job. May not be the greatest of jobs and they'll be at the bottom but many find they like having the money and it often matures them up into being an "adult".

I manage level 3 apprentices in a career type job. Some of them have come straight from a levels, so this isn't a barrier to getting onto a level 3.

Do they not have a part time job already?

DD1 worked PT throughout her A-Levels and was taken on FT as a supervisor (unexpected gap year) so she has been saving up for a year before going to university. And doing a bit of travel/holidays in summer. But if university hadn't happened at least she would have her work experience to fall back on. She will be able to transfer to the university branch of the place she works and do a few hours a week there.

DD2 is looking forward to getting a part time job when she's 16 to earn money. She's not academically inclined so I think the work experience is even more important for her.

Once you've had a job it's much easier to demonstrate experience for another one and look like a reliable person for apprenticeships and other opportunities.

I was in IT now as a Business Analyst in Supply. Most of our team of analysts came up through the ranks starting in warehouses, shipment processing , logistics, manufacturing, purchasing , procurement, supply annd material planning etc and the majority are not degree educated but have strengths in processes and systems.

There are so many different roles in supply chains and in the right company the opportunity to move between departments to gain broad knowledge allowing you to progress in the future when opportunities such as significant projects come along.

My DC got a level 3 apprenticeship after sixth form, which then led on to a level 6. Yes there was some duplication of level 3 work - but not much, the fields were similar but not the same (science) and the apprenticeship was very specialised. It's also meant a little longer in education - 3 years for the level 3 and four for the level 6. But DC has been earning (although minimum wage!), and has no student debt.

Out of all of my friends the two who achieved the least academically are the most financially well off.

Both went into low level finance jobs and worked their way up.

Sometimes I use to dream about my son being a thespian and a free spirit. However, he is academic and has gone into medicine.

He will find his path he may just need to try a few out first.