As kids get older, they naturally want to start spending more money and need a steady income in order to so. Some may stay and do lots of chores at their house and just get an allowance; however a significant number of people choose to apply for jobs at places such as Hyvee, Whitey’s, and other nearby businesses to have a constant cash flow.
Starting to work as a high school student has many benefits. As Cade Lewis, a senior at PV and Hyvee employee said, “Starting to work has taught me better time management skills and I’ve also gained a better work ethic.” The skills learned from working while also getting an education are numerous. Students can attain not only skills like this, but also more appreciation for money and saving each dollar. These skills are transferable throughout life and can help them after high school when they are pursuing colleges and jobs in the future.
In addition to the skills made while working, relationships can be built as well. The connections made with managers and coworkers can be useful references in the future to show a student’s personality and character. In an article from the Concordia University of Portland, Caitrin Blake says students can “Develop or take advantage of existing relationships with local service providers, stores, and other businesses that employ teenagers to ensure productive (and legal) working environments.” These relationships build trust among workers and create a productive atmosphere for students to thrive in.
However, as more and more students begin working during their high school years, students are under stress to both make money while also finishing schoolwork and participating in extracurricular activities. Varun Vedula, a senior at PV and Mathnasium employee said “It’s a lot harder to do schoolwork and also make money. One of the hardest things to do is going to work knowing you have a lot of schoolwork waiting for you at home. Then when you add extracurriculars to the mix, I know that will take a lot of my time as well.”
This shows just how busy it can get for students who are working and in school. Time is very important to everyone, but students that go to school and work at the same time value every second they have much more than those who don’t work because they know that every second can be used for something meaningful.
