By Ryan Doucette
Voices @ Bedford High School
Summer: the long-awaited break that every child dreams of. The mysticism of the season ignites anticipation in any youngling who hears the word mentioned. Pool parties, camp, free time, and most of all, sleep, make this break from school so cherished.
As teens become high schoolers, many equip themselves with a money-making-extravaganza: a summer job. For some students, just the thought of having a job sends shivers down their spine. God forbid they work and have responsibility! Conversely, for others, a summer job is just another aspect of the long-awaited break to look forward to.
The positive effects a job can have on the character of an individual are monumental. Working can help nurture a stronger work ethic by teaching responsibility and accountability. During school, students are rarely given a chance to fail. However, in a workplace environment there is a possibility to “drop the ball.” For instance, if an individual misses a shift, the consequences impact co-workers. Communication skills improve as you learn to work with a boss and others. Experiences like these allow teenagers to learn from their mistakes, showing them how to be accountable and work towards better meeting their responsibilities. The effect of a job experience helps with all kinds of things.
In my experience, I have found the skills I learned from working, like time management, help improve the quality and timeliness of my schoolwork. I have an interest in journalism and government, and this year I have written for The Bedford Citizen and other publications and also have worked as a legislative intern on Beacon Hill. These opportunities will help prepare me for my post-high school career and throughout my life.
Unfortunately, more and more teenagers are unemployed throughout the summer, thus not experiencing these critical lessons and skills. According to the Pew Research Center’s analysis of data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor, a mere 24.1% of 16 and 17-year-olds work a summer job.
At first thought, it is easy to cynically blame the other 75.9% of 16 and 17-year-olds’ lack of employment on laziness and inability to accept responsibility. However, in most cases, there are underlying issues and systemic problems, in addition to individual attitudes or behaviors. For example, the cost of employing a low-skilled teenager has grown increasingly expensive. With the rising minimum wage, many small businesses, prime employers of teenagers, struggle to adapt to that standard and may hire fewer teen-agers as a result. The University of Georgia found that for every 10 percent increase in the minimum wage, there was a 4.6 to 9.0 percent decline in teenage employment.
With far fewer opportunities, the search for a job becomes increasingly difficult. Many teenagers who have little or no experience find that searching for a job can quickly become disheartening. As a teenager myself, I have seen fellow students give up. Nonetheless, I urge my fellow teenagers to persist in trying to find a job that suits their interest.
I believe that there is a way for Bedford and all communities to increase teenage employment. First, students should be encouraged to work for the sake of the experience itself. Businesses should treat the employment of a teenager as an investment in the next generation of America. If a student has a career field they are interested in, they should work or intern in that profession before they commit to it. Bedford Public Schools and other community partners should encourage and help lead students towards a summer job.
I encourage you, no matter who you are, to help and support a teenager to work a summer job. They will undoubtedly be better suited for life because of your help.
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