Employing Youth for the Summer

At age 13, I had my first job. I worked for a community program serving meals to the elderly. Now, it wasn’t the most glamorous position, bit I learned valuable interpersonal, communication and service industry skills (as well as how to budget and save money). That experience has stayed with me throughout my career. Not to mention, with the money I earned that summer, I was able to buy school clothes, and my first pair of brand-named sneakers. What wonders such an accomplishment can do for a young person’s self-esteem!

Even now, I respect and admire company’s that provide our youth with the opportunity to gain valuable experience and develop interpersonal skills by implementing youth work programs.

If you are an employer, and you haven’t put in place youth summer programs or internships, I highly suggest that you do. Or, if you are an entrepreneur, then take on a young apprentice. This is your opportunity to contribute to the future leaders and employees of tomorrow by providing a chance for a young person to obtain industry experience, subject matter expertise and qualifying skills they can use throughout their academic and employable career. Your mentorship and knowledge will give a young person a head start in determining what career path they intend to choose and develop the wherewithal they will need in the long-term.

From June through August, we have a flood of able-bodied teens capable of making contributions, as well as keeping them occupied (and out of trouble) during the summer months. You can be a benefit to a young mind, community, and to society as a whole by hiring adolescents between the ages of 13-17.

How is this a benefit?

• You are providing the opportunity to help a young person gain real world experience
  
• You are contributing valuable experience and adding to the development of our future workforce
  
• You can obtain an eager, enthusiastic employee, without the tremendous costs or overhead associated with bringing on additional support staff
  
• In some states, this is a tax-deduction (check with your local legislation or talk with your accountant)
  
  
  

In addition, you are probably more likely to hire that person each summer if he/she does a good job for you. This keeps the learning process going, build a trusting mentorship/relationship, and you can look forward to the extra pair of hands to assist around the business.

So, for summer 2009, investigate what the requirements are for hiring young people in your state. Ten years or so from now, some successful CEO, Lawyer, Accountant, Doctor, or even President of the U.S. may thank you for their success.

Motivation for the Month: Train a child in the way he should go, and when he grows old, he will never depart from it – KJV Proverbs 22:6

Dawn Reid CEO
PTI Career Services, Inc.
www.mypti.com
www.mstrainer.i8.com
dreid@mypti.com