One thing many students do for the first time in high school is get their first real job. Starting at age 16, many kids start looking into getting a job and getting more experience to add to their resumes. Whether that’s working the drive thru at McDonalds, or returning carts and restocking the shelves at King Soopers, teenagers are learning how to navigate in the world of schedules, paychecks, and coworkers. 

Here at Erie High School many students have a job in Downtown Erie located on the well known Briggs Street. Many students that have grown up in Erie are familiar with the great shops that line the street. Maya Ball, a Junior at Erie High School and Assistant Manager at the local Erie Ice Cream Shop ‘Sweets’ commented on the location of her job; “It’s really cute, it’s close to me, and it’s easy to get to.” 

Similarly, Kaeleigh Killian, an employee at Cristos, a coffee shop on Briggs Street, explained that Cristos is “known for the location” and that the shop has a lot of regulars in addition to new customers. The community loves both of these locations and you can often find kids running around outside of Sweets, and adults meeting up with each other around a cup of coffee at Cristos. 

Learning new skills is an experience all new employees go through. Kaeleigh has been working at Cristos for about a year now and as a barista she has learned how to make drinks, interact with customers, and take care of the shop. Additionally Maya, who has been working at Sweets for a year has earned the title of assistant manager, and has taken on the long list of responsibilities that come along with the title. Maya explained that her job includes “Basically everything, I order so much ice cream, run to the bank, manage all of the employees, manage money, and create schedules.” 

While getting their first paycheck and meeting their coworkers is all very exciting, a struggle that many students deal with is learning how to juggle their work, school, and social life. When asked how she balances her busy schedule, Kaeleigh stated; “If I know I’m working a certain day I might do more homework on the day that I don’t work.” As an assistant manager Maya Ball explained that, “It’s really easy to balance school and work, but actually having relationships with friends is challenging.” While it may be difficult at first, having a part time job is a great opportunity to learn time management skills, and get students ready for college and the real world, when their schedules will get even more packed. 

When looking for a job for the first time, the best advice is to look for a location or store that you are familiar with and think that you would be qualified to work at. Also, it is important to choose a location that is relatively close by so you can get there quickly. Don’t be afraid to ask how to apply, most stores are always looking for new employees.