High-Tech Jobs

The job market is booming, unemployment rates are dipping below three percent, and many companies have found a new resource for employees. Kids. High-tech jobs that were once reserved for college graduates are being filled by computer-savvy teenagers.

The typical part-time job for teens may still be flipping burgers or selling clothes, but kids have found a way to challenge themselves and make more than a few extra bucks. Some kids are making more than $15 per hour, which is almost three times minimum wage.

“I like being able to earn my own money and being able to go spend it the way I want without having to beg my parents or hassle anybody,” said Lane, a 17-year-old computer technician.

While making more than their peers, most teens are earning less than adult co-workers doing the same job. Many feel that the experience is as valuable as the paycheck, though.

Experts suggested that parents know what children are doing during the working hours.

“It may not even hurt [for parents] to get in there and watch and observe,” said Sherry Ramey, clinical psychologist.

What Parents Should Know

The jobs are a great experience for most kids, but education and social interaction are still the cornerstones of their future, experts said.

If kids are spending too much time at the office and their schoolwork is being neglected they will suffer in the long run. Teens that become too involved with professional-style jobs at an early age may allow the immediate financial gratification to out- weigh the importance of a solid education. Without a well-rounded education these children will pay the price on college entrance exams, scholarships and college courses.

Also, interaction with peers is imperative for social development, experts claimed. Children spending too much time with adults and not enough time with other kids, develop somewhat of a social dysfunction. It becomes harder for them to interact in a social environment, a problem that can accompany them long into their future.

As long as the scale is balanced, working during the teen years can be a great asset. It promotes a sense of responsibility and an appreciation for a strong work ethic.

The Bottom Line

Though it is a far cry from a sweat-shop, some kids are getting taken advantage of. Kids just can’t charge the same as an adult for the same product.

The Will Street Journal reported an instance detailing a bank in New York receiving a bid for $25,000 to have their web-site professionally developed by an adult. Displeased with such a high number, they looked for younger talent. A 17-year-old offered to do the same job for $5,000. The kid got the job, The Journal reported.

Many kids are taking these jobs, aware that they are being taken advantage of, in hopes of building a resume of experience that will help them bid higher in the future.