Dear Editor:

As it is known, teens all have the expectations to juggle multiple tasks in their high school careers. Some students may have more such as sports, clubs or volunteer work, but many also handle part-time jobs. According to Hours of Work article, teens ages 14 and 15 can work a total of 16 hours during the school week and teens ages 16 and 17 can work a total of 20 hours.

Part-time jobs are great for high school students to have.

Within the 2013-14 school year, Bookkeeper Mrs. Sunhi Lundeen calculated a total of 290 work permits were given to students.

Career Specialist Mrs. Lori Uvaas believes students with part-time jobs learn more soft skills than those who do not. She clarified those skills are being on time, organization and communication skills which all make a great difference in life. Administrative Assistant to the Principal Mrs. Linda Walter agrees with Uvaas and adds that she believes part-time jobs are helpful in a financial stance and teach money management. They both agree students with jobs are more well mannered and independent versus those are unemployed. Walter states that most students start their first job at the age of 16 around the time they receive their drivers license.

Soft Skills in the Workplace article states that part-time jobs push people to become dependable. When a worker is given a task, they are being depended on to properly complete it and must strive to do so. Part-time jobs teach responsibility and common sense because when certain things must be accomplished, the employee learns to take initiative and complete them without having to be told.

Both Walter and Uvaas recommend students having jobs. They have noticed students with jobs learn what is socially acceptable to say and what is not when they are in the workplace. Uvaas said jobs teach manners as well. When a student’s job is dependent on their actions and what they say, they are more cautious as to how they speak and act.

Part-times jobs are beneficial to high school students. They improve soft skills that allow students to succeed further in life along with money management which is crucial. Even though part-time jobs take time away from the day, the rewarding outcomes make them worth having.

Sincerely,

Kay Parvin, senior