Student Essay 20: Part-time Jobs by Moon Chan Eun

Do you think it is a good idea for teenagers to have jobs while they are still students? By David Moon Chan Eun, Year 6, Sri Utama International School

Nowadays, lots of students earn their own pocket money. Some of them work because they are orphaned, others help their parents out because they are poor and some want to save money to buy something special. For example, my friend’s brother worked at a part-time job so that he could buy a PSP. Some people say it is a bad idea for students to have jobs as they should concentrate on their studies. However, there are several good reasons for teenagers to have jobs while they are still students.

Firstly, teenagers gain valuable experience while working at part-time jobs. They can learn skills which cannot be learned in schools. For example, they can learn cooking skills in restaurants and mechanic skills in garages. They can also learn personal and social skills such as responsibility and cooperation. Therefore, it is beneficial for teenagers to have jobs while they are still teenagers.

Secondly, teenagers can earn their own money if they have jobs. They don’t have to constantly ask their parents for money. This takes a lot of pressure off their parents. In addition, teenagers with jobs will learn to be proud of themselves because of their ability to take care of themselves. They can also use the extra money to buy whatever they want. For example, my friend, Jung Hun Kim, is earning money to buy a ‘Wii’. Thus, having jobs will teach teenagers to be financially independent.

Thirdly, teenagers will learn the value of money through hard work. They will know how hard it is to earn money and they will be grateful to their parents for working hard to bring them up. They will also learn to use their money wisely and not to be extravagant. As a result, having jobs will teach teenagers to worth of money and not take things for granted.

In a nutshell, it is a good idea for teenagers to have jobs while they are still in school because it is an excellent opportunity for them to learn and experience new things beyond what they learn in school.