Youth employment

Kurt505 · #1 03-01-2018, 11:47 AM

My son sold his quad to buy a truck. I told him no truck until he gets a job because he's going to need insurance and gas ain't cheap. He won't be 16 for another 6 or 7 months so if he gets a job now he'll have a good jump on things.

Any ideas who would be hiring young students (besides fast food restaurants)? He's fairly mechanically inclined for a young lad, he's done his own oil changes on his ATV and wrenches on his bike. I've had him work on a few construction projects so he knows how to use a hammer and a saw. His first two words were literally Truck then Quad, and not much of his focus has changed since then. He's currently in mechanics and welding in high school so I'm thinking a shop gofor would be a good start for him.

Eventually I'll hire him if he's interested but I want him to get a feel for what it's like to work for someone other than his Dad.

R3illy · #2 03-01-2018, 12:00 PM

under 18 is an issue for construction type jobs due to laws..
just something to keep in mind.

Im surprised he didnt get a job at 14 somewhere.

CaberTosser · #3 03-01-2018, 12:12 PM

Its a shame that some types of good jobs for youth have evaporated, such as the good old paper route. I had various routes from the age of 11 to 15, I recall delivering a weekly until I was old enough to deliver the Herald at 12 (their requirement); this was back before it was delivered in the morning, I would deliver them right after school so people would have them when returning from work.

All jobs build character, even the bad ones. The thing with young workers in a trades/tools environment is to ensure their supervision is safety oriented and attentive as young/ inexperienced workers are the ones most frequently injured.

Landscaping outfits might be a thought, for snow removal or lawn maintenance, maybe an arborists assistant.... I worked for my old mans plumbing company on my summer breaks during high school, though during school I was part time at two gas stations as either an attendant or cashier. Funny how often you don't see even that anymore, someone that's not an adult working a gas station, it seems like fast food is one of the last major job markets for youth.

Kurt505 · #4 03-01-2018, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by R3illy

under 18 is an issue for construction type jobs due to laws..
just something to keep in mind.

Im surprised he didnt get a job at 14 somewhere.

I know I can't get him on the construction site yet, I'm not sure if it's the same for a mechanic shop type environment as well though. He was at a job fair and the guys from Martin farm equipment said they hire high school students which got him pretty excited.

I've kept him busy cleaning up my shop/yard, house and acreage lawn and yard work, pack fire wood etc and he's earned enough money to buy half his quad, half his Tikka 270, half of his Carbon Spyder compound bow, half his PlayStation. He's been earning money to get the things he wants, but a vehicle is something he's going to need a steady cash flow to operate. I'll help him out with the truck, but once it's in the driveway he's going to be putting the gas in it or it's going to stay in the driveway.

Trochu · #5 03-01-2018, 12:14 PM

Tell him to start with what interests him and then start handing out resumes. Dealerships, tire shops, interdependent shops, lube shops, take your pick.

Brother had a flat and the only place open was the local Dodge dealer with one guy in the back. He started talking to the fellow and asked him if he was still in high school, "Almost, still in junior high".

Norwest Alta · #6 03-01-2018, 12:21 PM

As a dad I paid the first-year insurance and registration for 16 th birthday. It is much better the drive their own vehicle then it was they driving mine. I also didn't have to drive them to work either. I don't know what kind jobd are out there for kids but I can speak from my experience is that in 1987 I was making $9 per hr. Which at that time and was pretty good money for a 15 yo going on 16. I was making $100 a day and change. That was the turning point that I knew more then the teachers and didn't need school anymore. My point is watch what you wish for.

Kurt505 · #7 03-01-2018, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trochu

Tell him to start with what interests him and then start handing out resumes. Dealerships, tire shops, interdependent shops, lube shops, take your pick.

Brother had a flat and the only place open was the local Dodge dealer with one guy in the back. He started talking to the fellow and asked him if he was still in high school, "Almost, still in junior high".

That's where we're starting, there are a pile of dealerships, tire shops, even Canadian Tire on the north side so he's going to be pounding the pavement today lol.

ETOWNCANUCK · #8 03-01-2018, 12:28 PM

Push a lawn mower around the neighborhood.
Camp counsellor
Deliver flyers with the truck

Kurt505 · #9 03-01-2018, 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Norwest Alta

As a dad I paid the first-year insurance and registration for 16 th birthday. It is much better the drive their own vehicle then it was they driving mine. I also didn't have to drive them to work either. I don't know what kind jobd are out there for kids but I can speak from my experience is that in 1987 I was making $9 per hr. Which at that time and was pretty good money for a 15 yo going on 16. I was making $100 a day and change. That was the turning point that I knew more then the teachers and didn't need school anymore. My point is watch what you wish for.

The wealthiest guy I know figured that by grade 3 working on his fathers farm was better than going to school, by 18 he owned his own pizza joint and today owns several businesses. Common sense and hard work are the two most important attributes to being successful, neither of which can be taught really.

Norwest Alta · #10 03-01-2018, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kurt505

The wealthiest guy I know figured that by grade 3 working on his fathers farm was better than going to school, by 18 he owned his own pizza joint and today owns several businesses. Common sense and hard work are the two most important attributes to being successful, neither of which can be taught really.

Bèing smarter then the teachers has been good to me. Can't complain.

jstubbs · #11 03-01-2018, 12:43 PM

Why not just let him start at a fast food restaurant? Won't be something he'll probably enjoy nor will he learn any tangible skills, but it's plenty good for a young guy starting out. Get first hand experience of the awfulness of working in fast food, and it'll right away incur the idea that if he wants to do something he likes, he'll have to work at it or it'll be back to fast food. As well, it'll maybe give him a bit of an appreciation of what those in the food/service industry go through, something that never hurts.

Additionally, maybe it'll turn him off of eating fast food for life. That's always a bonus.

Also, for summer time work, get him a job at a golf course. 5:00 am starts 5-6 days a week, gets to be outside, use some cool equipment (and maybe even help service/fix 'em), and might even gain a bit of a work ethic. I worked at a golf course for multiple summers when I was in my late teens and they were some of the best times I've had at work.

Red Bullets · #12 03-01-2018, 12:50 PM

Working on a tree farm might be a good place. They hire younger folks. Or just being a farm hand might be good work experience. Farms require all the skills your son is learning so your son sounds like he would be inclined. And they even check fences and herd on quads nowadays.

Or if your son is close to a city show him how to clean a window and get him a stepladder, bucket, squeegee, a few rags and a bottle of sunlight dish soap. Cheap start up to work independently making his own money. Now in the spring homeowners and businesses will need their windows cleaned. If he put flyers out in neighborhoods with single level homes he could easily do the outside glass of a few houses a day. Lots of homeowners would pay 30 to 50 bucks just to do the outside glass. He could also easily get a cheap small business licence to operate legally in the city. If he is licenced he could probably do small business storefront glass too. A physical job with no heavy lifting or grunting. Clean hands at the end of the day. Easy to do and master. Better money than working for someone else. If he is good and efficient he could make good coin. Do neighborhood by neighborhood. Drop him off in the morn and he can work his way around the neighborhood appointments.

Sorry for being so wordy.

coastalhunter · #13 03-01-2018, 01:23 PM

Helping a mechanic on farm equipment? (At a farm) might be a way around the age thing?

ctd · #14 03-01-2018, 01:52 PM

I disagree that Fast food is a bad place to start. (I have never work fast food).
You learn how to work hard. You learn team work. You learn how to deal with customers. You make money. You earn or loose respect of co-workers. You learn to deal with stress. You learn how handle money......

Never discount a job in Fast food. It's a good career for people to start and or stay in.

I personally do not want a untrained person working on anything I own. Things cost to much to fix nowadays. Mistakes are costly. Kids shouldn't be fixing things on paying customers vehicles.
Maybe find a job washing cars for a dealership. Then progress to oil changes and then maybe an apprenticeship. That way he can be set up out of High school for a Automotive Apprenticship.

I highly recommend you keep his interest in Mechanics by helping around your shop and working on his own stuff.

2 Tollers · #15 03-01-2018, 02:09 PM

Kurt505 - Is he in the RAP program? This program places high school students that are interested in trades with various employers. There are quite a few companies out there that students in this program can access.

Trochu · #16 03-01-2018, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ctd

I personally do not want a untrained person working on anything I own. Things cost to much to fix nowadays. Mistakes are costly. Kids shouldn't be fixing things on paying customers vehicles.

hilt134 · #17 03-01-2018, 02:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kurt505

My son sold his quad to buy a truck. I told him no truck until he gets a job because he's going to need insurance and gas ain't cheap. He won't be 16 for another 6 or 7 months so if he gets a job now he'll have a good jump on things.

Any ideas who would be hiring young students (besides fast food restaurants)? He's fairly mechanically inclined for a young lad, he's done his own oil changes on his ATV and wrenches on his bike. I've had him work on a few construction projects so he knows how to use a hammer and a saw. His first two words were literally Truck then Quad, and not much of his focus has changed since then. He's currently in mechanics and welding in high school so I'm thinking a shop gofor would be a good start for him.

Eventually I'll hire him if he's interested but I want him to get a feel for what it's like to work for someone other than his Dad.

Golf courses are good and often their mechanics need a hand

Kurt505 · #18 03-01-2018, 02:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2 Tollers

Kurt505 - Is he in the RAP program? This program places high school students that are interested in trades with various employers. There are quite a few companies out there that students in this program can access.

Yes, he just had a RAP trade show at his school a couple days ago and that's got him hyped for a trades based job. He likes welding and mechanics, I'd like to see him as a heavy duty mechanic or iron worker, I've got lots of friends in the local 720 who are living a very comfortable life.

Thanks for all the suggestions guys.

ghostguy6 · #19 03-01-2018, 03:38 PM

Perhaps try one of those drive through lube shops. When I was at Lube City we had a few 15 year old's working for us. It gets him working in the automotive areas and the pay isnt that bad right now. Working in the pit can be hectic but isnt to technical as long as you can turn a wrench and oil filter. He could even earn extra high school credits and his hours could be put towards an apprenticeship if he does all the correct paperwork.

Alberta bull hunter · #20 03-01-2018, 03:48 PM

About 12 or 13 years ago when i was that age I got a job at Canadian tire, I would say I lucked out when they decided to put me at the parts counter right away. Sounds like your son is into the same stuff that I am into/ was into at that age. I enjoyed working with parts and trying to help guys fix their cars, also learned a lot from customers who would come in to buy parts and explain how some of them work and how to install etc. Spent time talking with the mechanics on lunch breaks etc to learn certain things as well. I grew up in a good environment learning how to fix my own vehicles and what not but this job definitely extended that knowledge for me. I'm not sure if it's the same job that it used to be now a days, I have trouble even trying to buy anything from most of the parts guys they hire now, but it could be worth a shot.

wwbirds · #21 03-01-2018, 03:52 PM

One was quite mechanically inclined and is now finishing up his electrical trade ticket. the other not so much mechanical but became a pretty good golfer and really enjoyed the job and comraderie with the other high school students that worked there.

Gramps.257 · #22 03-01-2018, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kurt505

Yes, he just had a RAP trade show at his school a couple days ago and that's got him hyped for a trades based job. He likes welding and mechanics, I'd like to see him as a heavy duty mechanic or iron worker, I've got lots of friends in the local 720 who are living a very comfortable life.

Thanks for all the suggestions guys.

X2 on the RAP program. Our company is a big supporter of RAP and we now have a few 20 year old journeymen and women working for us that got there start at RAP and turned it into a career. It also feels good for me to make a major difference in a young persons life and get them started on the right path early. Best payback yet was a few weeks ago helping a 21 year old recent journeyman move into his own home. Not to bad for a kid that at 15 was new to Canada, fleeing from Uganda with no real future. The thanks i received from his mother made the last 4 years more than worth the extra effort to teach him.

riden · #23 03-01-2018, 05:57 PM

I don't know if your school division has a program like this, but here goes.....

Best summer job my son ever had was a maintenance job with the school division. This was through a government program that paid a portion of his wage.

Today he is a Red Seal Lineman, and he has always been a good worker. As soon as they realized he was capable and had a work ethic, he became "The Assistant". Whoever needed help that day was assigned my boy. He loved the job, he would spend a couple of days with the plumber, then a couple with a carpenter and then a couple with a gas fitter or electrician.

He loved that he was doing something different almost every day. I loved that he was learning so much from actual journeymen every day and it's great to see a kid happy at the end of a hard day's work.

Kurt505 · #24 03-01-2018, 06:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by riden

I don't know if your school division has a program like this, but here goes.....

Best summer job my son ever had was a maintenance job with the school division. This was through a government program that paid a portion of his wage.

Today he is a Red Seal Lineman, and he has always been a good worker. As soon as they realized he was capable and had a work ethic, he became "The Assistant". Whoever needed help that day was assigned my boy. He loved the job, he would spend a couple of days with the plumber, then a couple with a carpenter and then a couple with a gas fitter or electrician.

He loved that he was doing something different almost every day. I loved that he was learning so much from actual journeymen every day and it's great to see a kid happy at the end of a hard day's work.

That's awesome, I hope my son has this type of experience.

260 Rem · #25 03-01-2018, 06:33 PM

Hope the 16 year olds getting their own vehicles are all exceptions, but I can tell you from anecdotal experience, that the majority will likely see school grades suffer. For some, the compulsion to keep the wheels turning results in leaving school all together Of course this will “never happen to my kid”!
Remember how tough you were as a parent saying that your kid would never be a major consumer of junk food ... and how did that turn out?

hayseed · #26 03-01-2018, 08:00 PM

Definatley agree with the RAP program. I have put a few through my shop, in oilfield transportation, including my own son.

Starting with shop rat labour, my son
got into heavey duty mechanical, and welding and he is as handy as can be.

Although he neither followed up with either trade, he's my first call when I need a hand, and a lot easier on my beer fridge than my buddies... lol.
He is 21 now and has a good job, truck is paid for, street bike, quad and dirtbike.
Saving all his cash for the next big leap in life, which in reality is kinda the same where your son is at, just earlier in life, as mine wants a house Lol...

All the best to him in the future.