For a certain generation, the first “real” job was usually a summertime affair, something obtained and worked between the junior or senior high school years. While serving as an entree into the adult working world, this employment rarely evolved into a long-term career, and neither the pay nor the hours were great.

In most cases, it was flipping burgers at a local fast-food joint or working as a pool lifeguard or camp counselor. More entrepreneurial types set up shop as renaissance tradespeople, doing everything from mowing lawns to babysitting.

The options were limited based on age – someone younger than 18 couldn’t operate some kitchen machinery, for instance, and so might not get certain shifts. Even now, as many state legislatures look to soften child-labor laws in the name of providing opportunities and earlier access to the workforce, many companies aren’t going to bring in a high schooler and deal with the guard rails employing a minor puts up.

So, in a world where a three-month summer vacation has shortened over time to 10 weeks and there is competition for even entry-level jobs in a tight labor market, what’s the 16- to 18-year-old crowd to do?

Many opportunities do exist, and some are specifically tailored for a younger cohort. Success means doing what the adults do – tapping into a network of friends, scouring social media for postings and searching online.

Local government program sets foundation

In Nashville, the POWER (Providing Opportunities for Wealth-building and Economic Resilience) Youth program closed its 2023 summer positions portal in late April. The program, formerly known as Opportunity NOW, began in 2015 and provides career exploration and work experience activities for those between 14 to 24 years old and drew in around 1,000 applicants for a work period running from June 5-July 21, says Lisa McCrady, director of communications for the Metropolitan Action Commission.

“Even with a shorter summer, there was an identified need to keep young people engaged,” McCrady says. “A symposium was held with young people, who said they wanted opportunities to gain income and skill sets. Over time, it has grown into a program not just for employment, it also has a strong mentoring and training track.”

The youngest members, ages 14-15, engage in shadowing opportunities, seeing what a job is all about at various nonprofits, or working with city employees and others on project-based activities such as mural creation or recycling services. There also are opportunities to explore the broadcast and music industries.

Older students, ages 16-19, have more internship opportunities, from city departments to local employers, which may evolve into ongoing positions. Wages are covered by Metro, which has helped beef up the ranks of employers, McCrady says.

“Many companies are trying to keep their permanent employees, so they don’t have a lot to spend on extra wages for a short period,” she says. “When they found out we’d take that responsibility and also provide career coaching, they were very eager to get involved.”

That coaching takes the form of sessions held Friday afternoons following a Monday-Thursday workweek. Those cover check-ins about the days prior, as well as short courses on financial literacy around savings and credit, as well as basics such as time management.

Support is given to employers as well to ensure that all parties are maximizing the experience.

In the end, McCrady says, program participants come out with a sense of what they might like to do, or not do, when they enter the workforce as adults.

“My son went through the program as a junior and senior in high school,” she says. “He still has the credit union account they helped him set up. He’s 22 now, and still carrying the practices the program helped put in place.

“What we want to do is create a foundation for young people to explore different career options and have some responsibilities, so they get an experience that lasts well beyond the summertime.”

Great outdoors beckons

The go-to jobs as lifeguards, camp counselors and the like are still very much on the table in Tennessee, even with a shortened summer recess from school. In Chattanooga and across Tennessee and Kentucky, the Salvation Army is hiring counselors, lifeguards, housekeepers and maintenance staff for its Camp Paradise Valley. The jobs are created for people between the ages of 15 and 23 and are structured to be both age-appropriate and scalable as a staffer ages, says Eric Short, divisional communications and marketing director for the Salvation Army’s Kentucky and Tennessee Division.

“We have an interest in children and making a difference in their lives, which is what the camp does and that extends to the employment roles there,” Short says. “Many of the applicants are former camp attendees, so they know the impact it has, and they want to transition to working there to pay their experience forward.”

The Salvation Army is a church with corps in towns across Tennessee and Kentucky. Many of the people it hires, but not all, are members. There also is a process to go through, including background checks, given the age of camp attendees and applicants, Short says.

“The camp runs for five weeks, from early June to July 13, and they will all learn different skill sets,” he says. “They live there, so room and board are included on top of a competitive wage, so it’s a good entry into a job in a setting that is familiar to many of them.”

Poolside chairs to fill

At the YMCA of Middle Tennessee, the need for lifeguards remains as strong as ever. The network of facilities recruits ages 16 and up for seasonal positions, and provides the training and certification needed to be eligible, says Rebecca Dent, human resources manager.

“The timeline is great for them and for us because we open our outdoor pools usually around Memorial Day, which is when school is ending for a lot of these students,” Dent says. “We are able to bring them in and have the extra staff we need for those pools, and we will hire with no experience necessary and then put them through the American Red Cross lifeguard training – and pay for the time it takes to complete that.”

The Y is well aware that many if not most of these applicants are first-time job holders, and so tries to meet them where they are in terms of skill sets and experience, she adds.

“We know they are trying to navigate all that holding a job means, and they are very important to us,” she says. “We try to make it as easy as possible. And for those who may not want to be a lifeguard, we also have ‘snack shacks’ at some of our outdoor pools, so they can get in some work experience running a concession stand.”

Long-term planning

Some youth may want to go straight into the “regular” workforce, and if so there are still plenty of options there. Knoxville’s Pilot Company is always on the hunt for employees and has the training and mentoring programs in place to help younger workers find their footing, and perhaps grow into more responsibilities over time, says Jamie Landis, vice president of team member experience.

“Pilot is passionate about creating an environment that promotes a sense of community across all age groups,” Landis says. “With 25% of our workforce being under the age of 26, we’ve been intentional in our adoption of new programs and perks that appeal to the younger generation’s interest in health and well-being.

“This includes well-being group sessions, on-site fitness centers at our headquarters, free YMCA memberships, nutritional coaching, weekly pay and $10 meal discounts each shift. Other benefits include team member fuel discounts, lucrative tuition reimbursement programs, 401(k) matches and leadership development courses for young team members growing in their careers.”

Since launching its team member experience team last year, Pilot also has rolled out several key perks that foster a culture that enables, empowers and equips all team members, Landis says. These include five new business resource groups in 2022, including Emerging Leaders, a group for young professionals to lead, connect, discover mentorship and explore new opportunities to develop in their careers.”

Those efforts join an internship program that provides current college students with the opportunity to gain work experience and professional development across Pilot’s 40-plus departments. Over the course of 10 weeks, interns explore a variety of career paths and they become immersed in the company’s history and culture, acquire hands-on experience, engage in professional development sessions, network with senior leadership and participate in community service projects, Landis says.

Pilot also places emphasis on employee retention, allowing those who wish to continue their career with the company to do so.

“Over the past year, we have promoted hundreds of folks under the age of 26 and are excited to have young leaders step up and lead in the industry,” Landis says. “We have a Career Pathing program that offers a clear visual of career progression at Pilot. Many of our team members started part-time as cashiers, maintenance, etc., and are now running their own store or division.”

As examples, Landis points out Josh Birdwell, who served in a part-time, desktop support role while pursuing his degree at the University of Tennessee. Twenty-five years later, he is a vice president and group CIO of Retail and Digital Technology. Peggy Wolford joined Pilot as a cashier in 1995 and now is the travel center general manager for a store in Ocala, Florida

And finally, Landis says, “Savannah Johnson joined Pilot more than seven years ago as an intern during college, rotating through each department at the Knoxville headquarters. For the next year and a half, she worked as a general manager designate for one of Knoxville’s stores, eventually being promoted to travel center general manager in Virginia.

“She later transitioned to the food and beverage innovation team and has served as the food category manager for the past two years. She recently won CSP’s Category Manager of the Year Award for 2023.”