Jobs for Teens - non-mega thread

[ExtraSlow]

Been chatting with the kid about jobs. Assume things have changed in the three decades since I had to worry about this. What are some jobs for younger teens these days? Babysitting, Fast Food, Snow Shoveling and lawn care seem obvious.
What else is out there. Since I'm old, and I don't understand new things, anything online virtual or anything? Even if the pay is shitty, I think it's good for kids to make some money of their own.

[max_boost]

Fast food is a nice rite of passage. Work with other young people.

[tonytiger55]

Fast food. I can't stress the importance of it. I have neices and nephews who did not do this. One can see the difference in how they compute information or solve unexpected problems.
Work with other young people, go on the training program, learn skills that allign with the three C's(Communication, cooperation, Coodination). They learn health and saftey. They will understand the value of money as the wage is so shite (well its a lot better now).

[D'z Nutz]

Fast food. I can't stress the importance of it. I have neices and nephews who did not do this. One can see the difference in how they compute information or solve unexpected problems.

I agree with this. As crappy as the job is, I think there's lots of valuable things that can be learned working fast food when you're young. I still use skills I perfected on the job as a teen working fast food to this day.

But to answer ExtraSlow's question, also look into seeing what sort of summer jobs are coming up. The animal shelter I volunteer at looks for young teens to help run summer camps and other jobs like that.

[ExtraSlow]

Anyone know what age you can work fast food?

[schurchill39]

One of the jobs I had working as a teen was at a truck/car wash either cleaning semi's or cleaning up the bays when people were done. I didn't have to do any maintenance or repair work, just keep things clean and swap soap barrels when needed. As much as I agree fast food is probably a great starting point, if I remember correctly your kid might have some issues with high stress/busy places like that so something more relaxed like a car wash could probably be a nice compromise.

Also golf courses. I was super jealous of my friends who got to work on golf courses cleaning rental clubs and carts and general landscape maintenance work.

[benyl]

Saw a roadsign for this:

https://www.calgary.ca/careers/youth-employment.html?redirect=/yec

[bjstare]

+1 for seasonal work at golf courses. I'm disappointed I didn't do it as a teen, it's very chill work, decent hours, get to spend time outside.

re: fast food, I worked at DQ starting when I was 12 or 13. Pretty sure this isn't allowed anymore, but it was great. I will never forget the interview question that is a constant joke now, but they actually asked me "what is your greatest weakness?". I only wish I had the wherewithal to tell them it's a stupid fucking question.

[SKR]

Also golf courses. I was super jealous of my friends who got to work on golf courses cleaning rental clubs and carts and general landscape maintenance work.

I was a caddie one summer. I was saving up money for college and there was a tournament for a scholarship. I won, but had the scholarship revoked when I was asked to play in a game with a land developer against my boss. We ended up winning that game too, and a gopher brought the day's events to a halt.

[Twin_Cam_Turbo]

My first job was coaching younger kids skijumping and cross country skiing when I was mid teens. Pretty good intro to herding cattle… I mean people management and skills.

[killramos]

Do they still let kids bag groceries?

[ThePenIsMightier]

Do they still let kids bag groceries?

If the United Food and Commercial Workers union (UFCW) let's them in.

[schurchill39]

Do they still let kids bag groceries?

A grocery store stocking shelves is a great idea too. There are lots of younger teenaged kids who work afterschool and on weekends at the grocery stores we go to. My sister in law did this at an IGA when she was younger and really enjoyed it.

[sabad66]

+1 fast food

I don’t know if this is possible today, but back in the day minimum age to work at A&W was 15, but I lied about my age when I applied (same date just 1 year off), and was able to work when I was 14.

[suntan]

+1 for seasonal work at golf courses. I'm disappointed I didn't do it as a teen, it's very chill work, decent hours, get to spend time outside.

re: fast food, I worked at DQ starting when I was 12 or 13. Pretty sure this isn't allowed anymore, but it was great. I will never forget the interview question that is a constant joke now, but they actually asked me "what is your greatest weakness?". I only wish I had the wherewithal to tell them it's a stupid fucking question.

https://www.alberta.ca/youth-employment-laws.aspx

13 min age to work in ff joint.

[benyl]

Shit. I was just talking to my soon to be 12 year about getting a job to pay the bills this summer. Fucker gets another summer where I pay for everything.

[Pacman]

I agree with Fast Food and think Starbucks would be the way to go these days. They have a good training program and it will teach your kid the importance of minor details (they will learn pretty quickly when the customer asks for some weird drink that is shaken, light foam, 4.25 pumps of sweetener etc). I worked at McDonalds in 1989 and it was great, but I got lots of scars from the hot oil at the fry station.

[gwill]

Anyone know what age you can work fast food?

14. But guessing most aren't hiring that young. Seems most places these days prefer the foreign workers than hiring kids.

On a side note my kid got hired at canadian tire in the shop when he was 16. Worked there for a while. It was perfect for him as he loved working on his car. Perk was the ability to use the shop and the tools anytime you were not working.

[tonytiger55]

I agree with Fast Food and think Starbucks would be the way to go these days. They have a good training program and it will teach your kid the importance of minor details (they will learn pretty quickly when the customer asks for some weird drink that is shaken, light foam, 4.25 pumps of sweetener etc). I worked at McDonalds in 1989 and it was great, but I got lots of scars from the hot oil at the fry station.

+1. Same I worked at McDonalds too in the mid 90's. Thier training progam is pretty good if you take it seriously.
Another friend of mine, his brother worked with a local mechanic they knew. Fast forward, he worked a McLaren for a bit and now works for Jaguar.

[suntan]

Good mechanics always work. Bad mechanics slightly less so.

[sexualbanana]

Too bad movie stores aren't a thing anymore. What a great gig.

Similar to fast food, I worked concession at the Zoo as a teenager, and I remember a lot of friends working as landscapers at golf courses.

[03ozwhip]

My kind will be 14 in a couple weeks, he's been delivering flyers for the last 2 years. Soon he'll be ready to move to bigger things, he says he wants to work at McDonald's and I think its a great idea.

I started at the burger King on Macleod trail, then taco time Macleod trail and I loved it. Couldn't eat BK for like 10 years after but still lol

I think its vital for kids to start there, build experience and friendships outside of school is important.

[Sentry]

I worked at a movie theater when I was 15 to 17, made enough to have a car and insure it plus the perks were cool like taking home posters and free movie and concession passes.

[bjstare]

Oh yeah, +1 for grocery stores. I did that from ages 15-18 and it was the ideal job. I did carry out, then bakery, then shelf stocking for a while. All awesome.

[ThePenIsMightier]

I worked at a quick Oil Change place. Wasn't too bad.
I also worked seasonally at a Farmer's Market vegetable stand thing. That was pretty good, actually... Actually, that was for cash now that I remember.

[haggis88]

I worked at a popular Shoppers Drug Mart style store in the UK ( tonytiger55 will know it)

Any sort of customer service position will set them in great stead for the future, customers teach you how NOT to be.

Staff discount and early access to the new cologne releases were a couple of nice perks for me.

Started out with weekends during term and extra shifts in the summer, then dropped it down to just a Sunday when I started my apprenticeship, as I was one of the last contracts who had double time on a Sunday shift...easy beer money and nothing to fuck up too badly being hungover :rofl:

[G-ZUS]

Calaway park. Worked there during high school

[haggis88]

A busy season at Urban X would make or break them, right tirebob?! :bigpimp:

[tirebob]

A busy season at Urban X would make or break them, right tirebob?! :bigpimp:That it does...

[gwill]

gamestop was the move for teenagers over the last couple years... even bestbuy or shoppers.

[mr2mike]

Best learning at these jobs is learning you don't want to do it for the rest of your life.
I don't think fast food is the place anymore. All foreign owners and kids won't fit in.

[SKR]

I also worked seasonally at a Farmer's Market vegetable stand thing. That was pretty good, actually...

111302

[rage2]

My brothers and I are trying to convince my step son to work at footlocker. For our benefit.

[killramos]

If your son wants to meet girls I highly recommend Starbucks.

You just have to, you know, make sure they know you aren’t gay lol.

Just dress badly haha

In high school I did a bunch of things, bagged groceries for a year, did Starbucks for a few years. I would take time off from Starbucks to work shifts at stampede which was 3x the money by the time you factored in the OT.

In university I marked and TA’d AutoCAD lol, and did work terms in the summer.

I haven’t had a month off since I was 12.

[rage2]

If your son wants to meet girls I highly recommend Starbucks.
Nah, joeys, earls, cactus club. Basically your mid end pretending to be fancy chain restaurants if girls is your priority.

[killramos]

Nah, joeys, earls, cactus club. Basically your mid end pretending to be fancy chain restaurants if girls is your priority.

Those places aren’t going to hire many teenagers.

Plus. Like fuck I would ever let my daughter work at any of those, I know their type too well.

Tbh the entire restaurant industry is somewhere you don’t want you kids near.

[ThePenIsMightier]

If your son wants to meet girls I highly recommend Starbucks.

You just have to, you know, make sure they know you aren’t gay lol.

Just dress badly haha

In high school I did a bunch of things, bagged groceries for a year, did Starbucks for a few years. I would take time off from Starbucks to work shifts at stampede which was 3x the money by the time you factored in the OT.

In university I marked and TA’d AutoCAD lol, and did work terms in the summer.

I haven’t had a month off since I was 12.

"I'm hard to come by,
Like a straight guy
Workin at Star Bucks."

-Bloodhound Gang


https://youtu.be/wnDCmUd8xDs

[jutes]

A grocery store stocking shelves is a great idea too. There are lots of younger teenaged kids who work afterschool and on weekends at the grocery stores we go to. My sister in law did this at an IGA when she was younger and really enjoyed it.

+1 to Grocery stores stocking shelves. I did it for a while during/after high school and it sure beats dealing with people/idiots, if you aren't a cashier, like you would in a fast food place. Plus you don't smell like grease afterwards and get some exercise in lifting things.

[max_boost]

Those places aren’t going to hire many teenagers.

Plus. Like fuck I would ever let my daughter work at any of those, I know their type too well.

Tbh the entire restaurant industry is somewhere you don’t want you kids near.

What’s the type Bro

[killramos]

What’s the type Bro

Sloots with daddy issues.

[bjstare]

Sloots with daddy issues.

Largely true. I’ve also known a couple earls girls who were sloots without daddy issues. Strange, I know.

[killramos]

I had a coworker start bragging that his daughter was starting to serve at the cactus club downtown.

That was a weird flex.

[ercchry]

What’s with all these fluffy suggestions? I always thought the move was to make sure the job sucked and exposed them to what happens if you make poor life choices… so they stay in school and can one day subsidize your retirement?

[killramos]

What’s with all these fluffy suggestions? I always thought the move was to make sure the job sucked and exposed them to what happens if you make poor life choices… so they stay in school and can one day subsidize your retirement?

The only people who do hard labour anymore are people with criminal records.

[max_boost]

Largely true. I’ve also known a couple earls girls who were sloots without daddy issues. Strange, I know.

Sex positivity lol

[killramos]

Std positivity lol

Ftfy

[ercchry]

The only people who do hard labour anymore are people with criminal records.

Doesn’t have to be hard labour to suck but yes, I remember PT jobs in high school working with some fucking grown ass adult losers, really drove home the message of “you don’t want to be here any longer than you have to” meanwhile some kids had such soft jobs that they decided to stick around after high school and not pursue anything greater… I assume they still live in their parents’ basements to this day.

[Twin_Cam_Turbo]

I worked at Home Depot from 17-19 while I was starting SAIT and now 15 years later tons of adults I worked with are still working there, it’s mind blowing. It was not a well paying job, it was just a job to make money while I was in school, I don’t know how these people are getting by still working there, they must have nothing.

[Tik-Tok]

Tbh the entire restaurant industry is somewhere you don’t want you kids near.

Yeah, anyone who's worked in the industry (especially chains) knows exactly what happens, lol. So much sex, drugs, and ridiculous drama.

[max_boost]

lol we all dysfunctional but the kids can get all that in the college industry too lol

[killramos]

Yeah, anyone who's worked in the industry (especially chains) knows exactly what happens, lol. So much sex, drugs, and ridiculous drama.

There is no way to exaggerate how bad it really is.

[max_boost]

Fast food is best food choice

[Sentry]

I had a coworker start bragging that his daughter was starting to serve at the cactus club downtown.

That was a weird flex.

What location and whats her schedule?

[killramos]

DT. And I didn’t ask.

[ExtraSlow]

They are pretty interchangeable,

[mr2mike]

What’s with all these fluffy suggestions? I always thought the move was to make sure the job sucked and exposed them to what happens if you make poor life choices… so they stay in school and can one day subsidize your retirement?

This is what I was getting at.
Learn you need to educate or be stuck rolling sod or mixing concrete.

[gwill]

What’s with all these fluffy suggestions? I always thought the move was to make sure the job sucked and exposed them to what happens if you make poor life choices… so they stay in school and can one day subsidize your retirement?

Stay in school? Isn't that old school mentality?

[killramos]

Yea getting an education is a terrible plan

[haggis88]

Yea getting an education is a terrible plan

It is if you want to drive a truck and spout mind-numbing shite on an internet forum, whilst trying to convince everyone you're not who they think you are

For everything else, there's Mastercard

My degree has definitely come in handy, but it's largely pointless in Canada since I don't want to go through another bunch of hoops

I'll keep on with my American overlords until I can get a move down there, hopefully without a dog

[dirtsniffer]

Canadian tire seems to hire lots of teenagers. Sportchek I guess too

[suntan]

McDs still seems to hire a lot of non TFWs. At least the ones near me.

[Flexray]

I would 100% look into trades. If you can get dressed in the morning and show a small amount of ambition you will get a job.
Instead of applying mayo to a bun all day. You can learn and develop actual real dexterity skills, how to properly use a broom, how to pull a fucked up nail out of a piece of wood, or how to properly clean engine parts.You will be taught how to use tools, think outside of the box and be creative to solve problems. Yes you will work hard, and may even sweat a bit. You will learn to be direct and tell someone to get fucked when they need to hear it.
Some of my best memories of being a kid came from the construction site. It taught me a good strong work ethic, not put up with shit, and the need to take care of myself.

After working a summer in a trade. You can decide if you are cut out for it, or want to sit in a desk all day.

[killramos]

In todays age of liability I don’t know what kind of trades are letting 14 year olds run around your site.

[Flexray]

I was working in an automotive shop when I was 16. And worked in construction when I was 14-15.

Edit, every now and then the shop I'm working for will hire a kid to clean up and take out garbages and help out. A lot of the times the owners kids will also work in the shop. I'm not sure what the garage keepers insurance says about it, but you see it. Being in trades, and seeing the shortages, I have heard some industry's are starting to push propaganda onto kids in junior high.

[pheoxs]

Do they kids have any hobbies? If they’re fairly active then coaching younger kids, reffing games, or working reception at a sports complex, or MEC would all be good jobs and positive on their life.
If they’re more instagram/TikTok kids there’s lots of opportunities in marketing for companies and helping them better run their socials using all new tools out there.
If they’re more crafty/creative then maybe a hobby shop or Music store?
If they’re entrepreneurial driven they could start up a side hustle. Mowing lawns or outdoor landscaping and try to source other kids to do the work and they focus on getting business.

[Tik-Tok]

I was working in an automotive shop when I was 16. And worked in construction when I was 14-15.

Unless you're 18yo right now, than your experience is no longer applicable to today's youth

[03ozwhip]

I was working in an automotive shop when I was 16. And worked in construction when I was 14-15.

While going to school? I call BS or it's your uncles company. I don't know how long ago that was, but that site would be shut down today if a 14 year old was working on it.

[suntan]

My 14 year old volunteers at the horse place she has lessons at. They give us credit against the cost of the lessons. The 16 year old started mentoring at the climbing place she climbs at. No compensation for that but I hope she can get a job there now (min age 16 to work there).

[Flexray]

While going to school? I call BS or it's your uncles company. I don't know how long ago that was, but that site would be shut down today if a 14 year old was working on it.

https://tradesecrets.alberta.ca/get-started/start-in-high-school/registered-apprenticeship-program/

[bjstare]

https://tradesecrets.alberta.ca/get-started/start-in-high-school/registered-apprenticeship-program/

He was talking about your experience as a 14 year old working construction, not the RAP program.

[Flexray]

He was talking about your experience as a 14 year old working construction, not the RAP program.

Wasn't the whole point of this thread, was to come up with ideas other than fast food and normal teen jobs? What us the harm in having your 14 year old contract a construction company and ask if they have a place for them? Maybe it won't be on site, but they might have something else for them to do so they can gain some experience. Or you can encourage your kid to be like every one else and go work at McDonald's.

[suntan]

Because a 14 year cannot work for a construction company.

Okay I guess they could do light janitorial work in the office.

[killramos]

It also feels like being realistic is also valuable.

A 14 year old working construction outside of a family business is like going unicorn hunting.

[tirebob]

Because a 14 year cannot work for a construction company.

Okay I guess they could do light janitorial work in the office.

Why couldn't they? They may not be up there walking high scaffolding and doing stuff that requires schooling/training, but they certainly could be doing clean up and gophering, or maybe spreading gravel around with a shovel before pouring cement etc.. I may be wrong but I don't think there is a law against that kind of stuff. Good, solid character building grunt work.

[killramos]

Why couldn't they? They may not be up there walking high scaffolding and doing stuff that requires schooling/training, but they certainly could be doing clean up and gophering. I may be wrong but I don't think there is a law against that kind of stuff.

Teenagers are idiots. Idiots are liabilities. Liabilities are expensive.

[tirebob]

Teenagers are idiots. Idiots are liabilities. Liabilities are expensive.Not always... Could be the kid of a buddy who wants to learn something or the like. Shit I quit school and was working full time and then some at age 16 in a tire shop, and weekends building pallets for a pallet making company and evenings on Sundays office cleaning.

[killramos]

Refer back to my post about unicorns

[suntan]

Why couldn't they? They may not be up there walking high scaffolding and doing stuff that requires schooling/training, but they certainly could be doing clean up and gophering, or maybe spreading gravel around with a shovel before pouring cement etc.. I may be wrong but I don't think there is a law against that kind of stuff. Good, solid character building grunt work.

Because the govt says so. See link i posted on first page.

[tirebob]

Refer back to my post about unicorns

True, but I think because I was a unicorn, I tend to see it notice it a little more than others. So maybe not unicorns as much as Narwhals... lol! While a little rarer, they actually do exist.


Because the govt says so. See link i posted on first page.Okay... So 15 then... Still doesn't mean someone isn't tossing a kid some cash to do a bit of grunt work. Not saying technically legal, but I am sure a lot goes on with cash being the motivator.

[tirebob]

..........

[suntan]

Okay... So 15 then...

Absolutely. Just not under 15.

[suntan]

True, but I think because I was a unicorn, I tend to see it notice it a little more than others. So maybe not unicorns as much as Narwhals... lol! While a little rarer, they actually do exist.

Okay... So 15 then... Still doesn't mean someone isn't tossing a kid some cash to do a bit of grunt work. Not saying technically legal, but I am sure a lot goes on with cash being the motivator.

Why hire a 14 year old when you can hire a 15 year old that is allowed to do everything? No way would any construction site in a city take their chances with something like this.

[killramos]

I feel like this circular argument has run its course

[suntan]

This is an easier conversation with parents that actually have kids of working age.

[Flexray]

Why hire a 14 year old when you can hire a 15 year old that is allowed to do everything? No way would any construction site in a city take their chances with something like this.

We live in a world where an automotive shop puts out a ad for a technician and receives 0 resumes. We have been telling our kids to get degrees and office jobs, trades are for peasants.
If a 14 year old shows up that wants to work, they are going to throw money and whatever he wants at him so they may have a skilled worker one day.

[gwill]

Unless you're 18yo right now, than your experience is no longer applicable to today's youth

My kid at 16 was working canadian tire. Got hired by his mechanics teacher who worked in the shop part time(weird). When he graduated high school we encouraged him to travel a bit and take sometime doing some fun stuff before jumping into whatever he wanted to do next. He graduated last June.

After a few months he stumbled upon a job with a friend. Made 40 to 50k in 3 months working in oil & gas. He's definitely worked his butt off in this time.

They don't normally hire kids as their work ethic sucks. Seems to have worked out okay so far other than we keep reminding him this was just temporary.

On a side note for those debating construction jobs. My kid couldn't legally be hired on most sites at 16. He had lots of cash job offers but definite wcb/liability issues with many industries.

[max_boost]

Well what skills does this teenager have?

Don’t kids in Germany start apprenticeships young like 14+

I was terrible in shop class so that was nope for me and then my parents opened a Chinese restaurant so that was that lol doing the same shit since summer of grade 8 lol


What about movie theatre ripping tickets and or concession stuff lol

But we need to know what 89coupe thinks :D

[tirebob]

My first technically official "paid" job I was like 8 years old... The bank across the street from my parents garage (which we lived behind) in Keremeos would give me $1.50 to shovel the sidewalk on days it snowed. They would even pay me with a cheque at the end of every month. Mind you in Keremeos back in 78/79 it snowed maybe 4 or 5 times a winter and it was never much, but I felt like a grown up haha! Even funnier was one day I woke up and it snowed overnight so my mom made me get up early and run over to scrape off the skiff of snow then she drove me up to school because I was a few minutes late and the teacher gave me shit for being late. I told her why and she said no excuses blah blah. I went home and told my mom and the next time that teacher came in for gas my mom told her that I made a work commitment and had to stick by it and if it happens again I will be late again haha!

From the time we were little kids me and my sister always had to do some kind of work for our money. I got a dollar a week allowance from the time I was 6 starting in school, but I had to pick up garbage around the house and business property and I had to sweep the lot. I am sure it wasn't the highest quality work being done, but even still, if I didn't do it, it was a straight up no for allowance. When I hit like 10 I got a bump to $2.00 a week and would have to mow the grass for the extra. I started mowing other people grass and shovelled snow on snow days etc for extra. One we turned 12 we started pumping gas at my parents gas station every day after school for 2 hours a day. Then I was getting $10/week because they would only pay me like half of what any other gas jockey would make. In summer we would go picking fruit or changing sprinklers for the farmers for extra money.

Mom and dad never gave us shit except for new school clothes in September and a birthday and Christmas present. Anything else we had to pay for. Comics, candy, toys, ice cream whatever... It came out of our allowance if we didn't have it and wanted it, or if it was more than our allowance we had to save up for it. My first big purchase was an OG Sony Walkman and I had to save up all my work money for probably 6 months to get it. It was glorious the day I could buy it!!! Haha!

Fuck me, my early era Gen X is showing... I am almost a boomer!

I will say the one job you don't see much anymore but I wish there were more of for kids because back then it seemed like a right of passage, is pumping gas. You can always tell the adults today who worked at a full serve gas station by the way they wash their car windows... It's like a point of pride!

[Flexray]

I had a similar upbringing to tirebob. If you wanted something you found a way to get it. I would walk around my neighborhood with a snow shovel or lawn mower and bang on people's doors and sell a service. Doing that taught me way more than Burger King ever did.

Being shop foreman, it is my job to show the new guy the ropes. You can 100% tell what type of a upbringing a kid has had in the first few days.

[89coupe]

Well what skills does this teenager have?

Don’t kids in Germany start apprenticeships young like 14+

I was terrible in shop class so that was nope for me and then my parents opened a Chinese restaurant so that was that lol doing the same shit since summer of grade 8 lol


What about movie theatre ripping tickets and or concession stuff lol

But we need to know what 89coupe thinks :D

My kids were/are too busy with sports, school, and music to have anytime for a job.

I feel kids should focus on education and skill sets instead of thinking about making a few dollars from a part time job.

When they get into University there are plenty of opportunities to get into work coops or part time jobs.

[ThePenIsMightier]

My kids were/are too busy with sports, school, and music to have anytime for a job.

I feel kids should focus on education and skill sets instead of thinking about making a few dollars from a part time job.

When they get into University there are plenty of opportunities to get into work coops or part time jobs.

The highest cost of university is not the tuition and the books, it's the Opportunity Cost. Working (at the lowest possible wage) during post-secondary is time that should have been spent taking more courses to GtFO of post-secondary sooner, thus reducing the Opportunity Cost.

The percentage of people who understand this seems very small.

[ExtraSlow]

111329

[Gman.45]

My kids were/are too busy with sports, school, and music to have anytime for a job.

I feel kids should focus on education and skill sets instead of thinking about making a few dollars from a part time job.

When they get into University there are plenty of opportunities to get into work coops or part time jobs.

I was in the Pace (advanced school program in the 80s and early 90s) program which meant a lot of extra homework, yet I had time for working at a full serve gas station 2 nights from 3 to 11 and one weekend day for 8 hours, played in a drill pipe band which had practices 2 times per week, martial arts which was 1 evening per week and sometimes 2, sang in school choir, and had youth group on Friday nights. Plus football in high school took up a lot of time in summer and the first semester at school.

I often thought during those years that I'd be better off with parents who thought like you 89Coupe. Instead of getting bitched at for having a 90% average (parents expected 95 at a minimum), I'd figured I'd have had the time to put into schoolwork. Now I think I learned more beneficial work and life skills through that busy schedule I had, than what I would have accomplished with more time off to study for those extra 5 percentage points or more.



Like Tirebob, my parents didn't give me anything from the time I had paper routes at age 10 on. I thought I'd died and gone to heaven when I got my first "job" at a service station at age 15/16 for 3.25$ per hour, which meant 3x the money and about 1/2 the work compared to delivering 2 different city newspapers. I unlike many of my friends had some $ at all times, had a car, then a motorcycle when my wages went up in grade 12, plus bought my own computer (C64 ftw), etc.

Too bad there isn't many full serve gas stations around, they make for a great 1st job IMO, and is what I'd recommend from my personal experience doing that as a kid, compared to other jobs I could have taken like fast food, etc, although they are a good alternative for certain.

[killramos]

Sports and music when they could be contributing to society?

Buncha spoiled crème puffs

[BavarianBeast]

I spent my summers from 14 on working as a labourer, welders helper and eventually apprentice plumber/gas fitter with different companies. Made a ton of money, gained invaluable experience and had some fun. Worked great as my career out of university was managing these trades and people in a GC role which went a long way.

[SilverRex]

I recall working at Wendy's part time in my teens at 4.25/hr, had to pay for my own uniform. I was a patty flipper on the grill during rush hour and when it was slow had to make my runs cleaning the washroom, windows etc. Humbling experience. My perk from them was a free frosty at the end of my shift. Next was washing dishes in an Italian restaurant manning the commercial dish washer, I made it my personal goal to make sure no matter how many dishes they gave me, I could get them thru and nothing would stack. I was so good at the job that they offered me a promotion to kitchen assistant. (plus I get to see first hand how they serve and prepare food which was...questionable) However it was a pass for me. Culinary/chef career was just not in my blood

[Buster]

The highest cost of university is not the tuition and the books, it's the Opportunity Cost. Working (at the lowest possible wage) during post-secondary is time that should have been spent taking more courses to GtFO of post-secondary sooner, thus reducing the Opportunity Cost.

The percentage of people who understand this seems very small.

in the last 5 years or so, university education has shifted to a negative return when taken in aggregate.

[tonytiger55]

I worked at a popular Shoppers Drug Mart style store in the UK ( tonytiger55 will know it)

Any sort of customer service position will set them in great stead for the future, customers teach you how NOT to be.

Staff discount and early access to the new cologne releases were a couple of nice perks for me.

Started out with weekends during term and extra shifts in the summer, then dropped it down to just a Sunday when I started my apprenticeship, as I was one of the last contracts who had double time on a Sunday shift...easy beer money and nothing to fuck up too badly being hungover :rofl:

haggis88 Was this Superdrug or Boots?

[haggis88]

haggis88 Was this Superdrug or Boots?

Boots, teenage me was too baller for Superdrug :rofl:

[arcticcat522]

My kids were/are too busy with sports, school, and music to have anytime for a job.

I feel kids should focus on education and skill sets instead of thinking about making a few dollars from a part time job.

When they get into University there are plenty of opportunities to get into work coops or part time jobs.

Ya, what are kids going to learn from having a commitment to an after school job. No one needs to learn what hard work is.....I'm all about; its not what you know, its who. But learning some work ethic along the way helps..