Should Part-Time Jobs Be Mandatory for Teenagers?

Figures show a quarter of 16 and 17 year-olds have a part-time job such as waiting tables. Some say workplace experience builds resilience and sets them up for their working life while others say it's cruel alongside school work.
Should part-time jobs be mandatory for teenagers?
Broadcast on 04/04/24
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[@MrSifter]

Would it be better if most kids had a part time job? Yes Make it mandatory? No The amount of kids I’ve seen who are in the middle of a college or Uni course, have an initial ‘part time job’ and then quit their studies to do the ‘part time job’ ‘full time’ is ridiculous. They get lured into dumb jobs because of the wage, which they’ve never had access to before. They find that they can suddenly go out 5 nights a week, buy clothes etc so now their studies go out the window and careers don’t get pursued.

[@Alexander-jr8nw]

I've got my first job in a call center back when I was 20 or so when I was also in university, to be honest I did it because I was very frustrated having to beg my parents for like 10 euros, so I said, why not get my own cash instead? so I did it. The wage was absolute ... peanuts but when I've got my first wage, it's funny now remembering that but I've felt rich lol But the most important thing - I learned to be disciplined, punctual and a highly motivated heavy-duty workhorse before I've got my first job: now = 2 hours later 1 hour of continuous work = too tired need to be somewhere at 7 AM but showing up at 7:30 AM = I'm not late me now: now = already done 8 hours of continuous work = not even feeling tired, why not doing 14 need to be somewhere at 7 AM but showing up at 6:30 AM = I'm somewhat late Everyone needs to find that time in life he or she needs to start turning from a kid into a professional, I'd say 16 is a bit early tho, also the 1st year of university is always the hardest so you need to focus on your studies much more, but I'd say starting with the 2nd year of university would be that sweet spot to enter the workforce, find a call center or some other low-skill office job and get going, it's good for starters, only the feeling you no longer have to beg your parents for money to just buy basic food is motivating enough trust me

[@TheCheatZone]

These days getting any job young and old you still get treated like dirt.

[@JoAnnP38]

Mandatory? No. Are they beneficial? YES!

[@sirdetmist3204]

Are they beneficial? What would an influx of cheap teenage labour do? It would mean companies could get the same work for cheaper, it would increase competition for jobs and just make the entire job market worse. It only benefits the companies and makes teens more miserable.

[@ryuuguu01]

@@sirdetmist3204 This is the real goal of making teenagers work.

[@TheMouse-gc9ft]

“What else are they doing”… studying?!?! Working young keeps the poor poor

[@kamifaye]

Exactly. I do think it’s important for teenagers to have a purpose that keeps them from trouble or gangs vulnerability, but that should come in many forms and opportunities. Schooling/studying/clubs/sports/etc

[@bereal6590]

Spot on. If well off parents want to teach a work ethic, that's different from a poor kid working for 'stuff'. It's a set up for career failure

[@TheMouse-gc9ft]

God forbid we leave it up to personal choice…

[@sanjuro7727]

I love the idea of Richard going into a shop and actually paying for something rather than just walking out with it.

[@heytigers3104]

🥁 😂 if I could like this a 100 times, I would!

[@ryuuguu01]

If kids want fancy stuff they can choose to work. The main goal of this is to get cheap labour. There was a reason force child labour was outlawed.

[@alexwright3301]

There's plenty of time for them to be miserable and go to work. No need to force them if they don't want to/have to. Let them stay kids as long as they can because after that its a long slog towards retirement (if you're lucky enough to be able to retire).

[@_JoshD]

that's depressing that's the outlook that u have on ur life, "a long slog towards retirement" , so u can finally enjoy ur life when ur old with back pains?

[@leighannclements7849]

Big bosses these days can’t afford to take people on we are in a cost of living crisis. And nobody should be forced to do anything!!

[@jacky5768]

Let's force people to go to work 👍 you gotta love this democracy

[@kamma44]

Yeah why work when we can just mooch of the government?!

[@CP-dr7qy]

Loool you think kids these days don’t wanna work ? People are not hiring that’s why they don’t have any jobs

[@Iain1962]

Started work when I was 11, I collected milk money once a week for the milkman, I sold cream door to door on commission, I would go around and wash cars, and I eventually got a Sunday Paper Round which I did until I was 19, running the shop from the age of 17, It was great I learned so much about dealing with colleagues being a boss of paperboys, doing the accounts dealing with customers. All before I had left school. Money? I used to get 40p a round as a paperboy which took about an hour on bicycle and would do about 4 rounds on a Sunday so I made £1.60 a week (mid 70's) at the start...But what I learned gave me a head start in business.

[@phillipimran7377]

Those jobs are long gone now. You are not allowed to work or even do work experience until you turn 16. Things have changed a lot from the mid 70s.

[@bereal6590]

I had part time jobs feom 14/15/16. It was seen as the norm. What would have been a lot better would have been working class parents at that time concentrating on education! If my parents had done that I'd have been in far better jobs and aimed a lot higher. It's always poor kids who end up having to take those jobs. This woman is right imo

[@ashleefrancis8539]

I worked from age 12 in a juice bar - peeling and chopping fruit - getting $5 Aussie per hour through high school. 2hrs per day Mon- Fri and 8am -5:00pm sat and sun + more hours during the school holidays. Still had plenty of time for study, friends and sport. By the time I was finishing high school I had over $30k saved. I have NEVER received a $ from my family and had to pay for my own university, rent, bills, food etc from age 17. I have never been broke/ in debt in my life (now 34 years old). Having that job set me up for my life ahead. All my friends who didn’t work or only worked occasionally through high school still to this day have nothing - except debt or they’re counting their pennies. Some are still asking their parents for financial help. I am so thankful for my job I had through highschool as I am sure I would’ve ended up like the majority - cash strapped!!

[@hannahdenim5697]

Being a part time tutor for Explore Learning from 16-17 was the best decision I ever made! It helped me find my lane and proved vital in securing my apprenticeship.

[@heytigers3104]

Agree with Julie. Menial employee jobs are not beneficial. Richard’s jobs were entrepreneurial. Totally different to cleaning the floor in a cafe as an employee.

[@greenonline5469]

As someone who struggled with college and work (and ended up giving up College since I needed money), I would say requiring teens to work AND go to education (like they do already) would just increase suicide rates (since there's already a history of teenagers taking their own life due to struggling with immense academic pressures), reduce the number of young people who get degrees since they won't have adequete time to study so the education they do will be a total waste AND would increase the evergrowing number of adults on benefits since it's already hard enough getting jobs. A law that requires teenagers to find work would multiply that problem 20x worse. *BAD DECISION ON EVERY SINGLE COUNT!*

[@keifer7813]

He didn't really explain why it should be mandatory. Just that it's good

[@MinecraftMater]

It's literally so hard to get a job for their age and alot of them are doing their A-levels or in college

[@bowjana8128]

There is no insentive to work any more

[@TequilaEaston]

People will use it as an excuse to leave there school work

[@melgrant7404]

Sometimes there is no choice if there isnt many opportunities in the area for employment. My son helps out with wood delivery with a local farmer.

[@christinadooley344]

It definitely helps teens re interacting with people and learning life skills,both my girls worked at ages 13 and 14 and it taught them the value of a dollar

[@katem86]

When i was 16,17 i had a part time job everyone did?? we needed to to enable us to go out and do things. I wish i could go back and save more! Need to save early aa possible now to get a mortgage

[@adventurouspeach]

As a teacher Most kids arent even doing their school work... perhaps we should focus on that Let's not force them to do jobs for no money Let's encourage adults to work instead 😅

[@annazapolska9748]

Not forced but encouraged do something.

[@thisisyoursigntovisit]

It’s shouldn’t be mandatory but it sounds like for the lady her teenagers are luckily privileged that they have the option not to get a part time job. Not all families have that luxury and teenagers having their own spending money can relieve so much pressure off of some parents.

[@alexhaynes7220]

No it should not

[@TorturedSlayer]

You cant force work. They will hate work even more if you force it.

[@nyxnecrodragon4256]

What planet is this woman on? Who is passionate about working in the supermarket? Who is passionate about working in the local civic offices? Who is passionate about waiting tables? You go to work to buy things you need/want. If you happen to like your job, awesome but most people don't.

[@AnubisX1]

I'm with TJ, I started working at 13 at my grans sweet shop. It made me become money savvy, I could pay for my own things, while I had to wait for my mates to see if they could get money of their parents. I loved the freedom and independence it gave me. Yes I hated the job, but I enjoyed the money.

[@cjpearce1407]

Exams and education is more important for a lot of people than a part time job

[@sirdetmist3204]

Then you dont understand what an influx of cheap labour would do to the job market. I can tell you it wont be good at all.

[@Neil-qf6df]

No...working should be optional, but no work = no money

[@makeithappen2707]

The quicker young people figure out how to navigate the trials and tribulations of work the better. There are people up and down the length of every workplace on every piece of land in the world who will take advantage of people. Not just at work. Learning how to get on with it, during school is only ever going to be a bonus. I don't agree with mandatory working, but the argument for not working is a poor one. Spoken down too? Exploited? My goodness, that's a little overly dramatic isn't it. Even if they did, which they probably will, you do your child no favours by protecting them from the world, and a job is the first baby step towards responsibility. Plus - the quicker they get used to paying taxes the better. Rip the bandaid off. ;)

[@user-hu1yi8ox9z]

National servise is the best answer.

[@GeekLegionofDoom]

Mandatory No. But encouraged

[@PsychoSeal1]

Should eating the rich be mandatory for poor people?

[@nimflower]

Now days teenagers just wanna be viral on social media, because they know if they do well, they could be making thousands a month for making 22 second videos, by the time they're 18 they can buy they're own house ect.. I don't think teenagers are as motivated to do classic odd jobs like in the old days, we're living in a new world now 🤷‍♀️

[@phillipimran7377]

Nostalgia of the past, eh. Nowadays, you are not allowed to work until you turn 16, you can't even do work experience before that, so its hardly teenagers fault as to why they are not working. 16 year olds are working in supermarkets or in other shops, and most of them are studying as well. Outside of that, there's not many employers willing to hire 16 year old teenagers which is why a lot of them are resorting to social media because it has worked out for a lot of people who are now living life styles that we could only dream off. The old days are long gone, and those jobs that used to be there for kids don't exist anymore.

[@Shadylady4181]

Adults can’t even get jobs and you think there are jobs for every 16 year old in the UK ? 😂😂

[@keirmitchell5560]

national service

[@melgrant7404]

No thanks.

[@sirdetmist3204]

No. Awful idea, all it does is get in the way of people starting their lives.

[@jacksoncrate]

all they be doing is fighting Russia in the future​@@sirdetmist3204

[@keirmitchell5560]

@@sirdetmist3204 Thats working well for them. Not..Bunch of wet wipes these days.

[@shesonyoutube]

Tj is right 👍🏽

[@RTG1031]

Did the lady really say that young people are paid really poorly?! Is she expecting teens to do minimal work with high wages?! 🤔

[@philipjohnkaye8890]

Karen comes to mind, very much a snowflake and entitled..................

[@ryano7220]

Timetable voluntary work for every child at secondary school.

[@sparklingwater1430]

Free labour 😍😍

[@ryano7220]

@@sparklingwater1430 Looks good on a CV and actually gives kids a chance to learn basic life skills. Builds a good work ethic.

[@Joanna7428]

Im with TJ 👍👍

[@jacksoncrate]

should be 12 hours a day in a work house then sent to fight russia