Should High school students have part time jobs?
Jacob Burks
Should High school student have part time jobs, or should they focus on their studies? In the US 80% of all 11th and 12th grad students have a part time job or partime job. These jobs mostly include working at, restaurants, groceries stores, hotels, babysitting, pet sitting/ dog walker, etc… most of which pay minimum wage or slightly above. These jobs are usually done after school or on the weekends. This is why I believe that, high school students should have part time jobs or at least summer jobs, because it: teaches them how to manage their time, the value of money, prepares them for life after school, and allows them to save money for the future.
80% of students wheather in high school, college or online schooling have some form of part time job/ summer job, according to a poll conducted by Citigroup and Seventeen magazine. The survey also found that the average working high school student work 19 hours per week. This means that students are making just under $140 per week that they can either save for college, or spent with friends. This opportunity cost of teens having part time jobs is that they now have less time to focus on their schoolwork, but this is subsided since the average working high schooler has better time management skills and more responsibility that the average non working student. Based on a study done by “The National Center for Education”, Students only spend 4 hours per week on homework and studying. Not only that but the students with mostly undemanding classes maintain a GPA of 3.3 - 4.0.
The marginal cost of working one more hour per week means students will have 1 less hour to study, spend time with friends and family or enjoy other hobbies. The marginal benefit of working is not only the money the student makes, but also time management skills and responsibility. Since the student has less free time they will become better at maximizing the time that they do have. Which translates to not only doing better in the classroom but doing better in all aspects of life.
Not only is working good for the students but the economy as well, local businesses now have a large labor force to help their businesses grow and flourish. Restaurants, and other stores have used high school students for labor for decades. Especially since most places don’t pay high school student as highly compared to their full time employees, and since they can do the same job for a lot less money the business grows.
That is why high school students should have part time jobs.
Resources:
David Quilty. “Topics.” 12 Great Summer Jobs for High School Students, Money Crashers, www.moneycrashers.com/summer-jobs-high-school-students/. Accessed 27 Sept. 2017.
Fottrell, Quentin. “80% of students work at least part-Time.” MarketWatch, 8 Aug. 2013, www.marketwatch.com/story/nearly-4-out-of-5-students-work-2013-08-07. Accessed 27 Sept. 2017.
Holloway, John H. “Research Link / Part-Time Work and Student Achievement.” Educational Leadership:Beyond Class Time: Part-Time Work and Student Achievement, ASCD, Apr. 2001, www.ascd.org/publications/educational_leadership/apr01/vol58/num07/_Part-Time_Work_and_Student_Achievement.aspx. Accessed 27 Sept. 2017.
Writer, wiseGEEK, and O. Wallace. “What are Some Jobs for High School Students?” WiseGEEK, Conjecture Corporation, 25 Sept. 2017, www.wisegeek.com/what-are-some-jobs-for-high-school-students.htm. Accessed 27 Sept. 2017.
I agree with you that when students have part-time jobs, they do learn how to manage their time and money better. Although, not all students have a job. Sometimes, when students are in a club or sport, this takes time out of their day after school. Practice for some sports are almost everyday after school. Don't forget about balancing time to do homework at home and to eat something after practice. There are other reasons too, but I don't think that its a bad thing if a student doesn't have a job because sometimes, you can't fit a job into your schedule.
ReplyDeleteI would definitely agree that students should have part time jobs. As you stated the benefits are great, learning how to maximize time and learning how to not waste time by being inefficient or lazy. Also the fact that students with part time jobs do understand the value of money quicker than those who do not have part time jobs. The only thing that I would argue would be if a student had a lot going on in their lives already. For example if someone was participating in a sport as well as volunteering at their church a couple of times a week that would equate to about the same time that they would spend at their job. By doing the other two things they are still learning valuable lessons like time management on top of other things. That is why in my opinion it matters more if the student is keeping themselves busy rather than saying all students should have a part time job.
ReplyDeleteI agree that most high school and college students should have jobs. They are very efficient in preparing a student for a world on their own. It gives them more responsibilities, but those responsibilities also come with a cost. All jobs, even part-time, are time-consuming. This erases time for schoolwork and extracurricular activities. As a student with a part-time job along with dedication to an extracurricular activity, there is a rare occasion where I spend the entire night at home studying and finishing homework. A part-time job also teaches a student how to manage this time, and gives them only a small taste of what jobs may be like in the future on a scale of stress.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you opinion on high school students having part time jobs. I think it teaches them great everyday working skills that they will use later in life. I don't agree with full tiem hour unless they are doing them in the summer. If the student isn't plannig on going to college they shouldn't need tot focus as much on schools and maybe more on getting more money. But for the ones that are looking at college for after high school. They should just work normal hours that don't interfere with school and it's studies. The money for the them is more for spending money and saving for college. This was a good topic to talk about as it is often questioned by parents. I am not sure how this would apply to a nation economic issue unless the whole nation goes against it.
ReplyDeleteI agree that when students have part time jobs it helps them as a person learn time management, as well as how to balance their needs and want's through money. As students, I feel as though it is very valuable to know these things and be able to excel in life with these qualities before we are thrown out into the real world where we are forced to have these qualities. I know for myself, between my extra curriculars,work, homework and social life, I've learned many valuable lessons on how to divide my time and fit everything in my schedule. Of course somethings are more important than others and should be divided up according to that statement.
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ReplyDeleteI also agree with your comment. I think that it is incredibly useful for students to learn soft skills and time management before they get sent off into the real world. The earlier you start learning skills like time management, interpersonal communication and other skills the better you get at them. In addition to that, part time jobs also provide a suitable high school salary. It allows kids to manage their money appropriately and start to pay for things on their own. It also is extremely helpful when paying for college. This isn't a huge economical problem right now but if there were to ever be controversy, I would be on your side.
ReplyDeleteStudents, having part time jobs teaches them quality core values as well as can earn them a little bit of cash as well, which is all good. But, I think we all can agree that juggling school, sports, clubs, work, and more can get a little bit stressful as well. I think a great solution to this is summer work. This way kids still receive cash, and core values, but the stress of juggling all these activities may not be as apparent in the summer, in comparison to during the school year.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your statement, I think it is important for high school students to have part time jobs because it gets them ready for their life after high school. It prepares them for college by introducing them to managing time and working together, and it also provides an easy way to make some extra money. Overall it is a good idea to have a part time job because the experience can help people learn to manage their time, learn to budget their money and get a feel for what life is going to be like after high school.
ReplyDeleteFrom reading your Blog Post and reading the additional comments on this post, I would also have to agree with your stance on students having part time jobs. There is an opportunity cost from working to not being able to focus on school work but the part time job will help students establish time management, managing sports, school and a job and being able to make a source of income. Everything involved will help prepare students for the real world. Do you think that school should assign less assignments so that students can focus on their part time job? Additionally, a social life is just as important as school and work. Students need to be able to do all three things but with the amount of homework, it's difficult for students to be successful and achieve a social life as well as compete in sports.
ReplyDeletePart time jobs are very crucial for a person scratching the surface of the real world. People without part time jobs when they're 15, 16, or 17, don't develop as good of a work ethic as those who do start working early. You brought up some great points that students get when they have a part time job. It teaches, time management, money management, and preparation for life in the future. It all leads to the motto "work hard, play hard." If you use the three skills you mentioned, along with working hard, it'll pay off, literally, "pay" off.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your statement that teens should be working a part time job during the school year, or at least in the summer. You brought up a lot of good points about how working a job during school gives you a better understanding of money and responsibilities. I also liked how you said the opportunity cost of working a part time job is that you have to give up that extra couple hours working, when you could be doing homework, hanging out with friends, or spending time with your family. Overall, this was a good topic to state your opinion on because it pertains to everyone or almost everyone at PHS and other high school or college students.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your post. I think high school students having part time jobs teaches them import values in the work place that are not often taught at schools. The only part I disagree on is how it will effect students studying. When students lose about 4 hours a day working it takes away from their time to study and may even effect their grades. I suggest getting a part time job but only if it does not interfere with your grades. Especially if the students plan on not going to college they should definitely get as much out of high school as they can before they are sent into the work force or the army.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your blog post because I also think it is important that students get the experience of working. From personal experiences I have found a lot of benefits, but I also found that there is more stress. I have to plan when I can do homework or try and do homework after work. Working a part time job after school can help with learning new skills but it takes up time I could be doing school work. Also then trying to fix clubs into my work schedule and trying to do homework makes it more stressful. I think working a part time job is important but it makes life a lot more stress.
ReplyDeleteI agree that high school and college students should have part time jobs. Part time jobs offer students more responsibilities, and life skills that will be needed in their future. The cost for having a part time job is that there is less time to spend on academics or extra curricular activities. However, not taking on a part time job has a higher opportunity cost than taking on a part time job because of all the life skills you learn from having a job.
ReplyDeleteI agree that students should have part time jobs for the reasons of time management, and helping with future jobs. It definitely make sense that 80 percent of 11th and 12th grade students have part time jobs. Though, it really surprised me when reading the portion of the article saying that students only spend four hours a week on their homework or to study. I feel as though this is one of the negative aspects of having a part time job because a student may not only be involved in school but with other sports or clubs too, which ultimately restricts their time availability. Overall, having a part time job is beneficial, as many students already have one, however depending on a students schedule, a job might not fit.
ReplyDeleteI agree that high school students benefit from having jobs after school or on the weekends.It teaches kids how to manage their time, teaches them how important a commitment is, and teaches them how to manage their money they earn. However, I don't think they should have full time hours just because they are still kids and they are busy with family, school, sports, or other activities but, it's important because working at places like Subway won't get you into college. In the summer kids should be allowed to work more hours just because they don't have to focus on school. Overall, I think it's a good idea for high school students to have a job because it will help in the future or the long run after college to have the skills of management, showing a commitment, handling the stress and anxiety that comes with the job, and getting use to having a job and working many hours a week.
ReplyDeleteI think it is good to have a job in high school, however many kids who have jobs work too much and don't participate in sports or clubs that they normally would. They do this because they are focused so much on college debt and their future that they don't enjoy the present. I think it is good to work for two reasons, to make money, and to gain valuable experience. However, you should make exponentially more money after college, so there is no need to work 30 hours a week during the school year to pay for 100% of college and forfeit other activities when you will be making so much more later in life.
ReplyDeleteI agree that students should have a part time job because it teaches many valuable skills that cannot be simply learned in a classroom or club/sport. Additionally, I think it gives high school students and great snapshot of what life will be like in college and later on. This allows them to prepare for the future and get practice with extremely demanding schedule before they are thrown into those situations. However, I do also agree with some other comments that because of pressure for school involvement and the large amount of homework and studying we are given, not everyone can afford the time to have a part time job. For those students the opportunity cost of working is too high, despite the fact of making money. Overall, getting a part time job is a valuable experience for a high school student and should be utilized if it is possible.
ReplyDeleteThe statistics that so many high school students have part time jobs does not surprise me. What may surprise you, however, is that having a part time job is much less emphasized for students in China. Instead, all that extra time is spent as extra time at school and extra time doing homework outside of class. In that society, the marginal cost is valued to be more favorable to spend more time with academics and less time working.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree that students should have part-time jobs. However, high school students are often very stressed out and this most likely comes from balancing all of the school work, jobs, and other activities. While it is important to gain the skills from working (and obviously making money) I think high school students should try and balance out their lives more to reduce stress. Maybe students should be limited to the amount of hours they are allowed to work-not only just for 15 year olds and younger as it is now. Focusing on academics should ultimately be one of the most important things as this will eventually lead individuals to higher paying jobs in the future.
ReplyDeleteWhile I agree that part time jobs are very beneficial for high school students, I think that sometimes, for some people jobs are hard to balance. Especially during sports seasons or times of heavy work load, it can be hard to also put aside time for work without losing sleep. However, in general I think that part time jobs are good for high school students and definitely agree that they can help with time management. Also I think it's good for high school students to have some money they earned and can decide what to do with it.
ReplyDeleteEmily Wagner
DeleteOops, I forgot to post this last Friday.
ReplyDelete10/5/17
I would have thought that the percent of high schoolers with jobs would be higher. Maybe more around 95% just because in Pewaukee, it seems like all PHS students have a job or are about to get one. I think part time jobs allow high schoolers to see how they can be professional in a work environment. Learning those skills like time management or organization will help earn the students full time jobs. If kids don’t have part time jobs, I feel like they are missing the chance to be ahead of those in the same career skills and experience wise.
I do agree with you, however, not all people in high school are fit to obtain a part time job, whether it be due to extracurriculars, sports, etc. I think that balancing a sport, school, AND a job can be very difficult because an individual may only put half of their effort into all of those things because stress and anxiety will increase. To prevent that though, focusing on school and a job will increase a students productivity, thus allowing them to put forth more of their effort into just those two things. In addition, people have to keep in mind that sleeping, eating, exercising, and maintaining a social life are other aspects in a student's life, ASIDE from school/work/sports. In the end though, obtaining a part time job during high school tends to be generally beneficial, financially and skillfully.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you that a part time job for full time high school students teaches a lot, including time management, the value of money, and a heightened sense responsibility. However, there are factors that you didn't mention. For example, students who participate in sports and clubs have far less "free time" than students that don't, and they shouldn't sacrifice their enjoyment in extra-cirricular activities just for the benefit of money. In total, I think if it is fit for a particular student, where they have time to focus also on a job and realize the benefits, they should have a job. However, for some high school students, it isn't smart as it would cause them to sacrifice not only academics but enjoyment, which is what high school students should also focus on.
ReplyDeleteStudents definitely need to get a part-time job. I is difficult to be able to make time for both a job and studies. This skill is time management and is definitely a life skill needed to be learned. Time management can not be taught it must be an experience.Along with time management, having a job in high school teaches students many more skills and therefore, having a part-time job is a great experience for all high school students.
ReplyDeleteThe marginal benefit of having a job greatly outweighs the marginal cost of losing study time. This is especially true because of how expensive college can be; it incentivizes students to start saving up early and get into the college they want to. Not only that, but the school offer lots of opportunities to focus on studies and get work done so that they have more free time outside of class.
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ReplyDeleteHaving job in high school can be very beneficial due to the expense of college you will have to pay for in the future. On the flip side, studying time will also benefit you in the future so you can succeed in college and get a good job. Having a good job will bring in a good income so you can pay for college. Their are pros and cons to studying instead of working and vise versa.
ReplyDeleteInteresting points. Is the opportunity cost of having a job really worth it? When you work for an hour, you lose not only an hour a work time and socialization, but you also lose an hour of sleep and quite a bit of sanity. The stress that kids are put under with the challenging courses at school, on top of working for 5 hours each night after school adds to the stress and anxiety that many high school kids today face.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your statement that high school students should have a part time job. Even though it may be hard to balance out school work, work, and the normal activities of a high school student, it is better to learn those responsibilities now than in the future when it really matter. A first job should not be in college where it really matters or is applying to your future additionally, it should not be a parents job to pay for their kid every time they want to go out or put gas in the car. This only teaches kids to be entitled.
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