The subject of high school students having jobs has never been entirely agreed upon. Some think that entering the workforce provides good experiences for teens, others argue that it takes away from time for them to be kids and focus on other things. It’s true that sometimes having a job can make it difficult to balance things like school and sports but having being employed benefits teenagers. People who start working in their teens get better work and real-life experiences, while also getting the opportunity to earn and save money. 

Having a part-time job while in school may seem like an unnecessary use of time, but it provides teens with valuable social skills and experiences that will help them with life after school. While being able to interact with others doesn’t seem like an incredibly important skill to have, knowing how to act in a professional environment will be very beneficial in college and with having a career later in life. If you know how to act respectfully towards coworkers and customers, you will also be able to have more effective communication with teachers and peers. Many students will want to work in college to be able to better support themselves, and you’re more likely to be hired at a job if you have previous work experience. Life during college and beyond is full of professionalism and lots of hard work. Having a good work ethic and effective communication skills will be very useful to help you go farther in life. 

Life skills aren’t the only things teens can gain from a job. One of the most common reasons for teens to get jobs is to earn money. Whether it’s saving for college, or just having money to spend, teens will always enjoy earning a paycheck. It doesn’t all need to go into savings, but having money and knowing what to do with it is another valuable thing to learn. When teens start getting paychecks, they will have the opportunity to learn more about money management and saving. Knowing how to save money isn’t the only benefit of getting paid. Earning money from a job helps teens be more independent. You might not be earning a lot of money, but when you no longer have to rely on the adults in your life to pay for everything, you’ll find that you have a lot more freedom. You will also have more responsibilities, and that’s where money management comes in. When you start relying more on your money to pay for things, you’ll quickly figure out things like savings and budgeting. 

Your high school years are a time for growth; this comes with learning skills to help prepare you for life in the “real world.” While having a job as a student isn’t for everyone, and doesn’t have to be, it is one of the most effective ways to teach students more about their future responsibilities. If you want to better prepare yourself for later in life, consider getting a job this school year, or even this summer. You won’t regret it.