By: Alaina Bayer

While modern online application systems leave a lot of high schoolers stuck waiting for a response, some local businesses are actively looking to hire teenage workers. For these managers, hiring high school students isn’t just a backup plan. It is a strategy to gain flexible hours, positive energy, and a willingness to teach work skills.

At Primrose School of Centerville, Director of Operations Kristine Shinkle frequently hires high school students for afternoon shifts. “I primarily hire teenagers for our closing positions because their availability tends to align well with the hours we need covered at the end of the school day,” Shinkle said. “They are typically very coachable, motivated, energetic, and eager to learn.”

That positive energy makes a big impression on customers and families. “I believe our families respond very positively to having teenage employees on our team,” Shinkle said. “Their energy, enthusiasm, engagement with children, and positive attitudes are often a great addition to our school environment. Our families see them interacting with and caring for their children, and I think that genuine energy goes a long way.”

Working a job during high school means balancing academics, sports, and other extracurriculars. Managing teen workers takes flexibility, but it also requires them to practice clear communication. Shinkle said she manages busy student schedules with patience, flexibility, and a lot of grace. “I work with each of our high school employees individually to understand their school, sports, extracurricular, and testing schedules. In return, I expect them to communicate with me, request time off appropriately, and be accountable for their schedules and responsibilities.”

Learning how to handle workplace commitments is one of the biggest benefits of getting a job early. “A big part of employing teenagers is teaching them what workplace accountability looks like,” Shinkle said. “I want them to learn that their school and activities are important, but so is communicating, planning, and being responsible for their commitments. It is a learning experience for both of us, and I try to give them the support and coaching they need to be successful.”

“Patience, responsibility, and integrity are just a few of the things I have learned in my few months working at Primrose,” teenager and employee, Evan Krolikowski, a junior at BHS, said.