Summer Job for Teenagers: The Case for Work
- Mark Olivito
- Jun 12
- 6 min read
For 30+ years, I’ve been borderline obsessed with a few things: careers, goals, growth, and the choices young people make before they fully understand how much those choices matter.
Every year around this time, one question comes back into focus: how should a teenager spend the summer?
For me, the answer is clear: a summer job for teenagers is still one of the best ways to build confidence, maturity, money habits, work ethic, and a real view of the world.
As PAVERART has gotten better at attracting attention online, we launched a pretty "sobering" recruiting video, trying to paint a real picture of "this is hard, but worth it."
The response?
Mixed. Hard truths sometimes elicit pushback. But the reaction also speaks to a multi-decade trend. The BLS reported that the youth labor-force participation rate for ages 16–24 was 60.4% in July 2024, down from a summer peak of 77.5% in July 1989. For teenagers specifically, the labor-force participation rate is now in the mid-30% range. That’s a problem.
What has taken up the slack? Probably all things related to higher ed, prep courses, college enrollment, maybe increases in gaming/all things internet. Speculating to a degree, BUT the declines in work are undeniable.
Why a Summer Job for Teenagers Matters
Work Establishes a sense of Pride and Accomplishment
There's a joke that people in the trades often talk about when they are in the car: They can't drive by any house they've done work at and NOT point it out to anyone within earshot.
"We built their deck"
"Just fixed their HVAC"
"Put their patio in"
The money we make from work is critical. But pride is different. EVERY job matters, and the more pride we take in those jobs? Better overall outcomes.
Work Fills a Real Gap in the Education System: Learning the Right Stuff
For teenagers.....I often ask about their future plans. College often comes up, no surprise. I ask about their field of study. Types of schools they are looking at. Then I ask a couple of questions:
1) Rutgers New Brunswick, good name. What does that cost?
2) Interesting profession choice/major. What types of job openings and what's their compensation?
I have yet to talk with a teenager that has well researched answers to these questions. Not one. Many kids are now going through financial literacy in high school, that is great. I ask them a simple question: What are the concepts they are reviewing?
The answer is usually some form "stocks, bonds, credit scores." What is absent in 100% of the conversations?
Cash flow. Living within your means.
What the cost of college is and how to think through it from a return on investment perspective.
Every prospective team member that comes into PAVERART I walk through our shop. We talk through our process, the uniqueness of what we do, the hot/humid environment, potential dangerous areas, the things that need to be learned, the importance of thinking through what you are doing, the people that started as hourly employees and are now managers.
I can clearly tell this is all new stuff, new ways of thinking, the proverbial "babe in the woods." It is an enormous opportunity to open the eyes of the young, optimistic, sometimes scared younger generation. It's a delicate balance of being real, hopeful, and serious.
Work Builds Work Ethic
Woody Allen famously said: 90% of life is showing up.
It's true, and there are real consequences for NOT getting this right. It is sobering to get fired for this one, or STALLED in your career or not advancing because this is an issue.
How many people struggle with this? Too many. In my experience, maybe as much as 1/3 of the population. This presents both an opportunity and a challenge in the workforce. If so many people struggle with answering the bell, the ones that CAN show up, on time are at an immediate advantage for looking good, before the first skill is learned.
The Right Kind of Business and Mentors Can Force Growth
It is pretty simple. Businesses cannot grow unless the people working in them start to grow. And growth is uncomfortable. I can't tell you how many people come to me with their personal financial problems, and I welcome it.
Let's say a guy is $10k in debt. Been this way for years. Works full time. Smart, wants to learn, shows up. But a bad self-image around money. For the right guy, I do the following. "How about I assign you to an area we are struggling with, one hour a day. Instead of working 7-3, why don't you work 7-4. That gets you into overtime. I'll also give you a piece of the results in the form of a commission, let's call it 10% of what you generate. The OT alone will take care of 80% of the debt.
If you are successful and generate a few sales, you will be debt free in way less than a year, but you need some discipline, and I'll walk the path with you. And you will now understand in a meaningful way what pay for performance looks like.
What if this person takes me up on this offer?
What if they go from feeling like there is no way out to making a real commitment and successfully changing their own situation?
It is life-changing when someone learns how to take control of opportunity and commit to positive change.
For the kid in high school that embarks on his first job, what if he hears from me:
"Play your cards right and you should graduate high school with well over $10k in your bank and know a ton about how business works."
I know from the looks on their faces they've never been challenged like this. And they will NOT be challenged like this in that SAT prep course.
Work Brings You Around Humans. Humans Are Messy. And They Still Matter More Than Anything.
AI may change the entry-level jobs many college students expected. That makes real-world work experience even more valuable, not less. A teenager who learns how to show up, solve problems, deal with people, and understand business has an advantage no matter what technology does next.
At work, humans tend to be on full display. You learn about the realities of life.
Struggle.
Victory.
Relationship problems.
Addiction.
Adversity.
Conflict.
Winning.
In AP calculus you can get a B+ or an A, the person next to you can get a C-, that doesn't really affect you. But at work? You can be a superstar, but if your team member can't seem to get his act together, that has real-world consequences. In business, the ENTIRE unit needs to function for max impact. No class will bring that reality home like a performance-based business looking to grow.
The summer decision point: Work or Play?
I've told my own experience to anybody that will listen. Jersey has something INFAMOUS. The Jersey Shore. It is an ENORMOUS draw to vacation on the beach, hang out on the boardwalk and I have plenty of fond memories.
But once 16 comes around, things need to get a little more serious.
I love hearing about people's first jobs when they were young. There are a few common themes.
Most would consider them "crappy jobs"
But the people who talk about them saw life-changing experiences as a result. I have yet to hear about the person who worked as a teenager express more regret than value.
We are entering a period in AMERICA where the trades will have great job opportunities and careers for as far as the eye can see. And for aspiring business owners and entrepreneurs, the outlook has never been better.
PAVERART has Core Values we hold near and dear to our heart.
Grit.
Grind.
Hustle.
Repeat.
Some think they are just words on our shirts. That is true.
For me? They are the playbook for taking ownership of your life.
Controlling what you can control.
There is something comforting of controlling your own destiny.
Nothing about anyone’s personal journey is easy. Far from it. But some basic principles and foundations matter.
And they all get put into play at work. Not theory. Not slogans. Not speeches. Work.
Summer is here. Everyone deserves some time at the beach. But if you really want to set yourself up, get to work.
