The Department of Labor lists teens between the ages of 16 and 19 as the demographic most adversely affected by the current recession. Unemployment among those in this group is up to 20%. While most kids that age still depend wholly or at least heavily on their parents for financial support. Many will still be looking to make money this summer. There are options they can consider even in these times of low job availability.
Internships and apprenticeships
Internships and apprentices ships are a great way for post grads to get started. To go out for such posts will require a bit of resourcefulness as most organizations that offer them don’t actually advertise publicly. Apprenticeships are always paid, but internships are very often not paid. Even unpaid interns though are usually entitled to transportation allowances, and more importantly academic credit. Whether or not internships pay off in actual cash, they can be great career investments.
Cooperative learning programs
Cooperative learning programs are designed precisely for students who need to earn some money while they are in school. Students who are on such programs study for a semester, and work in jobs related to their fields of study for the next semester. Such students earn better than most summer interns, and their hire rate after graduating is better than regular students as well. School career centers have the necessary information for students who want to enter such programs.
Research grants
There are really great for resume building and if you’re a lucky student, you could even make money doing it. Colleges usually offer these, sometime even directly, particularly to deserving students; especially those in need of financial assistance. The typical method to getting such grants though, is to start searching for openings in February, in order to work the next semester.
A student’s own college academic office or financial office is the best place to start, but there are also many scholarship sites on the internet. The government also maintains a site for such students: students.gov
Work-study jobs
“If you’re smart about picking a work-study job, it can actually give you more real-world experience than a summer retail job,” says Caroline Ceniza-Levine, a career coach and founder of SixFigureStart consulting in New York City.
Schools often offer work study jobs for students in need to financial aid. These range from research assistant to recycling manager. They are by no means lucrative, but they don’t affect financial aid status, unless the earn over $3,000 a year in which case they will lose 50 cents worth of federal funding of every dollar they earn over $3,000. Should the students be fortunate enough to find work with the Peace Corps, AmeriCorps or Teach for America, they will be exempted from this rule.
