In 2022, 20.3% of teenagers were working and going to school at the same time, an increase from 19.4% in the previous year, according to Statista.
For many students, having a job and going to school simultaneously can harm their ability to pursue their education. On the other hand, some students are able to make it work and are quick to take advantage of valuable work experience at a young age.
Of this group, a majority are saving up for their dreams after high school, while some are looking to earn a little spending money, and others are helping support their family.
Angela Garcia, a full-time student with a part-time job, explains how her employment impacts her, saying, “Before I had a job I had lots of free time to catch up on assignments and any class work or socialize.” She continues, saying, “After I got a job it [became] hard to manage my time considering I get home at 3:30 from school and I leave at 4:00 to work. [I] only have 30 minutes in between — depending on traffic — to eat, change, and then rest.” Garcia adds that there are good and bad parts to holding a job during school. She’s able to save up for her college funds and independently support herself, but at the same time, she has a hard time keeping up with her social life and school work.
Early employment, even while in school, means students learn to manage their finances, practice time management, develop real-world skills, and gain experience for future employment. Beatrix Brandau, a Franklin student who works part-time, gives insight on how doing both can be time-consuming and tiring, while also intriguing and useful. She remarks, “I definitely wasn’t as productive during school when I didn’t have a job, now that I have one I challenge myself to use any bit of spare time to get schoolwork done.”
Franklin’s Career Coordinator, Martin Rodriguez, expresses his thoughts about students who are working and how he would advise them to handle it. “Graduation’s always gonna come first. High school’s gonna come first.”
Rodriguez mentions how he used to work back in high school and college as well, and started his career path early. Rodriguez continues, saying that he tries his best to encourage students to be kids and enjoy their high school experience by getting involved with school activities and making friends, but he understands that this is not a possibility for every student. “Not every student has parents that can provide for them … some families may be in more need and some of these kids are already stepping into that adulthood era.”
Rodriguez shares what he thinks overall about working during school, reflecting on his own personal experience, saying, “I think the negative is there’s limited time in a day. … it does take away from being able to do other things, but the positive thing that comes out of it is that you get to learn about time management.”
Rodriguez emphasizes the importance of students learning how to be considerate with their time. “If you’re taking the TriMet and you have some reading to do from a class, you sit there and you read your book versus just waiting until you get home. So you start to figure out how to be more productive throughout the day to get things done.” Rodriguez also brought up opportunities for students who aren’t employed yet to get help applying for summer jobs or internships after spring break, which he encourages.
For students who not only work but also engage in after-school activities like sports or clubs, they may have an even harder time keeping up with everything. Anabella Pylant, a senior at Franklin, works in retail at JCPenney and plays softball. Pylant shares that work, school, and doing a sport can be super challenging. “I often struggle to balance all of these activities. [It] can be tiring and exhausting. Sometimes it’ll affect my mood,” Pylant says, “By the end of the day I get home and I’m tired. I get irritated and kinda rude is what my family’s told me.” Many overworked students feel prone to mood swings due to a lack of sleep. Even just one night with a lack of sleep can correspond to a change in mood, especially if you’re constantly on the move with multiple activities.
Having a job can be both beneficial and harmful to a student’s education. It supports building skills, exploring potential future careers, and becoming more independent. At the same time, it can make students miss out on social experiences, as well as impact their ability to stay on top of school work and engage with their education.
There are plenty of opportunities for students working at Franklin to ease the burden of their job, like working with counselors or teachers to balance work and school life. Most students, if and when it’s possible, recommend making a flexible and balanced schedule. In any case, making sure you have your time planned out well is vital; this includes communicating with your peers, staying organized, and prioritizing mental health.
