Jobs for 16 Year Olds: Work Options & Opportunities

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around job opportunities for 16-year-olds, focusing on the types of work available, the skills required, and personal experiences related to early employment. Participants explore various fields, including programming, office work, and traditional roles like cashiering or food service, while expressing concerns about the limitations faced by younger job seekers.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions the availability of meaningful jobs for 16-year-olds, noting that many positions seem limited to basic tasks like bag packing.
  • Another participant suggests that connections in the community may be necessary to find better job opportunities.
  • Several participants share personal experiences, such as working for a member of parliament or repairing cars, indicating that some jobs do exist outside of typical retail roles.
  • There is discussion about the potential for programming jobs, with some participants suggesting that basic programming skills could lead to opportunities, while others express skepticism about the value of such skills at this age.
  • Some participants reflect on the nature of entry-level jobs, suggesting they often serve to provide experience rather than requiring specific skills.
  • Concerns are raised about the perception of jobs as menial, with one participant sharing a positive experience working in a kitchen, highlighting the benefits of such roles.
  • Another participant expresses a desire to work for free in order to gain experience in a more desirable field.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree that job opportunities for 16-year-olds are limited and often involve basic tasks. However, there are competing views on the availability of more skilled positions, such as programming, and the value of traditional jobs. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the best paths for gaining work experience at this age.

Contextual Notes

Participants mention various limitations, such as the need for community connections and the general perception that entry-level jobs do not require marketable skills. There is also uncertainty about the applicability of programming skills in the job market for younger individuals.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals interested in job opportunities for teenagers, parents seeking advice for their children, and young people exploring their first employment options may find this discussion relevant.

moose
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Are there any jobs which require any actual work for a 16 year old? What I mean is, everyone I know who has a job works at a store packing bags. Are there any jobs which not ever 16 year old can do? Almost every job I've seen which actually does something only hires 18 year olds and up... Next semester when I will have more time, I would like to get some job which maybe involves statistics, or basic programming, or something like that... This type of job not only would be more enjoyable, but may also give more money and actual experience. So are there any fields like these which hire 16 year olds?
 
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Not really, no. Unless you have connections in the community.
 
I can't think of anything...
 
I worked for a member of parliament last summer (I was 15 turning 16 at the end of the summer). Got paid $10 and hour to sit in an air conditioned office on Parliament Hill (where the govt is in Ottawa, Canada) and make the MP's website. :biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin:

Here it is: (not sure if it's up to date they stopped paying me when it was finished so I haven't updated it...although I did put javascript in so that the current date is displayed.)

www.dalejohnstonmp.com[/URL][URL=
]
www.dalejohnstonmp.com[/URL]

Jobs for 16 year olds
 
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I was repairing the bodywork of cars at 16... how about delivering mail? Supermarket cashier? Your own company?
 
rocketboy said:
I worked for a member of parliament last summer (I was 15 turning 16 at the end of the summer). Got paid $10 and hour to sit in an air conditioned office on Parliament Hill (where the govt is in Ottawa, Canada) and make the MP's website. :biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin:

Here it is: (not sure if it's up to date they stopped paying me when it was finished so I haven't updated it...although I did put javascript in so that the current date is displayed.)

www.dalejohnstonmp.com[/URL][URL=
]
www.dalejohnstonmp.com[/URL][/QUOTE]
... You worked for the tories?
 
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Basic programming? Can you do anything else?

My best friend got his start programming on the cheap when he was 16. He did very basic work and got paid peanuts (minimum wage) but it challenged him.

You could probably find a place locally to do some smaller work for. That is, if you can offer something half useful in terms of programming skills.
 
singleton said:
Basic programming? Can you do anything else?

My best friend got his start programming on the cheap when he was 16. He did very basic work and got paid peanuts (minimum wage) but it challenged him.

You could probably find a place locally to do some smaller work for. That is, if you can offer something half useful in terms of programming skills.

I would love that, I wouldn't mind the 5.xx an hour if it challenged me and got me thinking. I am generally good at figuring things out, so some basic training would allow me to do far more. The thing is though, since I will have a light course load at my high school next semester, I will want a job. This leaves me with a few months of time to learn to do something specific for a certain job. I will see if my dad has any "connections" to people who need someone to do non professional work.

EDIT: I am currently taking PreCalculus, I will be taking calculus next semester.
 
Knowing basic Calculus will do nothing for you right now.

If I were you, I'd consider finding a place for basic programming like mentionned above.

Your other option is to start your own company. If you plan on taking this route, write a business plan. Don't think of one... actually write one.
 
  • #10
Do you mean basic programming... or BASIC programming?
 
  • #11
Pengwuino said:
Do you mean basic programming... or BASIC programming?

I hope he doesn't mean Microsoft Word and Excel. :eek:
 
  • #12
Which oddly enough is about the necessary skill for half the jobs around here :P
 
  • #13
Pengwuino said:
Do you mean basic programming... or BASIC programming?

I mean, I know some limited programming. Mainly C



About people talking about my own business. How would that work, I'm going to a university when I graduate high school in two years, plus, what kind of business can someone my age form , actually, I'll go search google :-p
 
  • #14
I was going to start my own business when I graduated, but then my partner went down to victoria. I was going to do it again, over the net. Then my partner got banned...
 
  • #15
Smurf said:
I was going to start my own business when I graduated, but then my partner went down to victoria. I was going to do it again, over the net. Then my partner got banned...

lolyour partner got banned? From what? The internet? :P

*sign on*

*"We're sorry, you have been banned from the Internet"*
 
  • #16
Pengwuino said:
lolyour partner got banned? From what? The internet? :P

*sign on*

*"We're sorry, you have been banned from the Internet"*
:smile: Ouch! :smile:

Most jobs for 16 year olds assume you have no marketable skills or work experience, and serve the function of providing you with that experience. The only jobs I knew of at 16 that required additional skills was working as a lifeguard in the summer (that required lifeguard training/certification). But, yeah, pretty much when I was 16, people worked as cashiers in the grocery store, flipped burgers at one of the fast food chains, or worked at a store in the mall (the jobs in the movie theaters were the best because you got to see movies free), or babysat.
 
  • #17
I hope my kids are this eager for a job at 16
 
  • #18
Smurf said:
... You worked for the tories?
But of course...my other options were the lying decieving (insert every negative word you can think of here) liberals or...wait, I don't want this to get into a huge political discussion because I end up writing HUGE posts and getting into really heated arguments :-p

not only do I support the tories but also they paid well, I work for anybody who pays me well:biggrin:
 
  • #19
I'm 19 and have never had a job. I just don't understand people who are all "I can't wait to get a job!". I am not looking forward to my first job, as it will probably involve something menial like being a bus boy or washing dishes. What a waste of my time.
 
  • #20
ek said:
I'm 19 and have never had a job. I just don't understand people who are all "I can't wait to get a job!". I am not looking forward to my first job, as it will probably involve something menial like being a bus boy or washing dishes. What a waste of my time.

Yah wait till your first bill and come back and tell us how good life is without a job :-p
 
  • #21
ek said:
I'm 19 and have never had a job. I just don't understand people who are all "I can't wait to get a job!". I am not looking forward to my first job, as it will probably involve something menial like being a bus boy or washing dishes. What a waste of my time.
I washed dishes the summer before my website job with the tories. It was a ton of fun, kitchen staff are so laid back and fun to work with, you wear whatever you want, you get dirty, you eat free food, drink free drinks, flirt with the hot waitresses, make fun of the chefs...and since I was in the kitchen of a golf course restaraunt I also played free golf!

Waste of time?
a)Free food and drink
b)Free golf
c)Money
d)Work experience
e)Something to do
 
  • #22
ek said:
I'm 19 and have never had a job. I just don't understand people who are all "I can't wait to get a job!". I am not looking forward to my first job, as it will probably involve something menial like being a bus boy or washing dishes. What a waste of my time.
Well see, there is this thing called money, which seems to be a pretty popular item among folks. It would probably be beneficial to obtain some of this "money" and use it for whatever it is used for.

Seriously though, I want to have the experience of working somewhere. I would hate working at a grocery store, although it is where I will most likely end up working.

Another question, are there any "better" jobs which I could work for free for? I wouldn't mind working for free really, as long as it was a good job...(with the possibility of a bonus being a plus of course :approve: ).
 
  • #23
From what I hear, working in kitchen is hell!

I think that was just because you were on a golf course... nothing like the traffic you'd get at a dedicated restaurant.
 
  • #24
moose said:
Another question, are there any "better" jobs which I could work for free for? I wouldn't mind working for free really, as long as it was a good job...(with the possibility of a bonus being a plus of course :approve: ).

Do some volunteer work. Here you can friggen build houses with habitat for humanity! I got to use a jackhammer when I helped! Man that was sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet
 
  • #25
Pengwuino said:
From what I hear, working in kitchen is hell!

I think that was just because you were on a golf course... nothing like the traffic you'd get at a dedicated restaurant.
Yeah, on a golf course, you pretty much are preparing leisurely lunches and some catered meals. In a regular restaurant, you're starting at around 11 AM and working until well past midnight (there's always that one table that gets seated just as the kitchen is supposed to close and forces the chef to keep things open another hour or two). The heat is insane. Plus, chefs are unbearable to work around (my brother-in-law is a chef...well, was a chef, now he has decided he doesn't know what he wants to be when he grows up :rolleyes:...I'm not saying he's a good chef, just a chef).
 
  • #26
Pengwuino said:
Do some volunteer work. Here you can friggen build houses with habitat for humanity! I got to use a jackhammer when I helped! Man that was sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet
Of all the volunteer opportunities around, I always thought that was the coolest! I haven't ever done it, but I know the wife of one of the other faculty members here is interested in doing it too, so maybe I'll get her to sign up with me. You do something really great for someone, get to work with other fun people, and get to learn something about building a house, which is a great thing to learn for when you're a homeowner someday!
 
  • #27
I'm thinking of volunteering at the challenger space center which is about 100 yards from my high school. Underlined in this picture.
http://www.1337moose.com/space/sunrise.jpg

Bassically, I would be a tour guide or something like that. I want something else to try first though. To volunteer at some real company or something :/
 
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  • #28
I see several of people saying they're volunteering, that's not a job is it? A job is when you get paid!

Movie theater (IMAX!) jobs are good and fun for sixteen year-olds.
 
  • #29
Mk said:
I see several of people saying they're volunteering, that's not a job is it? A job is when you get paid!

Movie theater (IMAX!) jobs are good and fun for sixteen year-olds.

The main point of this thread was to find out if there were jobs other than those types of jobs :redface:
 
  • #30
moose said:
I'm thinking of volunteering at the challenger space center which is about 100 yards from my high school. Underlined in this picture.
http://www.1337moose.com/space/sunrise.jpg

Bassically, I would be a tour guide or something like that. I want something else to try first though. To volunteer at some real company or something :/
Which high school is that?
 
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