Teenagers in Cape Coral face a myriad of challenges, on top of academic endeavors and athletic obligations, a majority of kids are expected to begin supporting themselves financially, requiring a source of income found only in a job.
We at the Seahawk’s Eye can speak for a majority of teenagers when we say that jobs are a necessary evil, despite this, a number of kids are unemployed. However, this is not a result of lack of trying. It is extremely difficult to find a job around Cape Coral, and this causes extreme issues for teenagers who are in need of money to support themselves.
Once students hit age 16, they begin to have their own responsibilities. Car insurance, gas, and outings with friends all become a part of the budget. The necessity for a job is imminent.
This is not the case for all kids, but a majority of parents like to start giving their children some sort of responsibility to prepare them for “the real world”.
Finding a job is nearly impossible for a young adult, for two reasons. Employers don’t want to hire applicants without a resume or experience, but it is difficult to build a resume without having a job to begin with.
It is an endless cycle that ends with hundreds of teenagers scouring Indeed for job listings, with a small amount actually getting hired.
Places such as Sun Splash and Publix are usually accepting and understanding of teenagers, but there is a point where even those reach capacity.
These businesses have an overflow of applications coming from teenagers, and there is only a certain amount of jobs available. Therefore, dozens of applicants get overlooked and capable workers end up jobless.
Another option for more fortunate applicants is a family business. There are teens who are lucky enough to have parents who either own or manage a business, and can get them in with no problems.
However, these are few and far between. Those not put into fortunate positions like that are forced to figure it out on their own and endure endless job applications, resume submissions, and rejections.
There is physically no way for teenagers to support themselves and enjoy their day to day lives without keeping a job.
Also, teenage workers often prove to be more capable and reliable than one would think. Teenagers have something to work for, they need to maintain a job in order to pay for what they want, so they have an incentive to be hardworking and treat their job seriously.
On top of that, teenagers have less of a need for a higher wage. A teenager could be paid minimum wage, without expecting benefits or pay raises and be perfectly content.
Providing teens with jobs is not only beneficial to employers, it’s necessary for development into young adults.
Having a job helps to teach time management, as it requires kids to balance their academic priorities on top of their work schedules. This is a skill that is non-negotiable for adulthood, when even more responsibilities begin to pile on and add to the load.
Holding a stable position also forces teens to educate themselves on financial literacy. They have to learn the harsh reality of taxes, pay stubs, and job benefits, which are all facets of a real career.
It’s extremely helpful to learn about these concepts as a teenager, before one is thrown into a situation where they’re living on their own and don’t know how to file for their taxes.
All in all, jobs are severely lacking in Cape Coral, and teenagers are struggling to support themselves. So, businesses need to start having more empathy for teenagers, give us a break and take a chance on a kid, we need it.
