Personal Advancement
U.S. study shows fewer teens looking for summer workSummer jobs play important roleSummer work experiences are among my most cherished memories. |
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 [ 2007-07-11 ] |
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Whether it was life-guarding in the Haliburton, Ont., area or camp counselling in southern Ontario or working for the recreation department in Kincardine, Ont., I count those jobs as being crucial to my development as an employee and a professional.
During those jobs, as a high school student, I made a ton of mistakes and learned from each one of them. I also made new friends and increased my social circle several times over.
Summer jobs are an important part of growing up, and help you develop workplace skills and a sense of responsibility, no matter where you live.
That's why I was surprised to read about a new study by the U.S. Labor Department showing that for the first time on record, most American teens were not working or looking for work at the beginning of summer.
Labour force participation among American teens peaked in 1978, when 67.7% of teens aged 16 to 19 were working or looking for work. Compare this to June 2007, when just 48.8% were working or looking for work.
While it appears to be strictly an American trend, the underlying factors are recognizable in this country, too.
The biggest reason teens are giving up work, according to the study, is to spend more time studying. Last summer 37.6% of American teens were enrolled in school, up from 36.5% the previous year and three times the number of 20 years ago.
Another reason is a change in family finances. Household net worth is rising quickly in the U.S., similar to the Canadian situation, which has given parents the ability to save more money for their children's post-secondary education.
"A lot more ... families have been much more actively involved in saving for college than ever before," LaSalle Bank chief economist Carl Tannenbaum told Gannett News Service.
The other big reason is that jobs are increasingly harder to find due to competition from immigrants and older workers.
U.S. economists aren't concerned about the trend. In fact, many say that placing an increased value on education will produce more qualified and productive workers, which will actually help the economy.
However, University of Minnesota professor Jeylan Mortimer says that working moderate amounts during high school helps teens learn skills like how to work with others and helps develop self-esteem.
Mortimer hit on what I believe is the much more important role summer jobs play in the lives of our youngsters. Sure, pocket money is nice, but our kids should experience the work world before they have to depend on it -- a gentle introduction that slowly acclimatizes them to what will likely be a big part of their life after college or university.
I'm not saying that extra schooling and extra studying is a terrible thing, but there should be a balance of learning, working and playing in everyone's life -- students included.
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