Should Secondary School Students Do Part-time Jobs?

Is it a good idea for secondary school students to take part time jobs? Two Form 4 students of our school present two opposing views on the topic below.

Lee Hoi Lam from 4C believes that working part time is good for students.

Firstly, teenagers who has a part time job can get some valuable work experience.  If teenagers have work experience, they won’t have so much pressure when they get a job in the future as they know how hard work can be.  Take my sister Amy as an example, she is eighteen years old now.  When she was sixteen she worked as a sales girl.  She was so nervous when she went to work on the first day but as time passed, her experience increased and she knew how to strike a balance between work and study.  So, having work experience is good for teenagers.

Moreover, when teenagers have a part time job, they can earn pocket money, become more independent and less of a financial burden on their parents, which will make them feel good about themselves. 

Also, when they know how hard it is to make money, they won’t spend it carelessly, and develop good money management skills. 

The last reason why I think teenagers taking part time jobs is a good idea is that having a job is suitable for them.  For example opening an online shop with friends is a good idea for teenagers, as they tend to know the latest trends and fashions. One possibility would be for them to start an online shop to sell their chosen goods; this can be quite profitable if well researched and managed, as there is need to rent a shop and it is quite a relaxing way to do business.  They can study and work at the same time, which is a good balance of the two.

In conclusion, I think it is a good idea for teenagers in Hong Kong to take part time jobs while they are studying at school. Interference with their studies will be minimal and undertaken in their free time. They will develop money management skills, gain work experience and become more financially independent.

On the other hand, Leung Hau Shan, also from 4C thinks that working part time brings negative impacts to students.

Firstly, it is true that a teenager who has a part time job can get work experience and earn money, but there are some negative effects to having a part time job.  If students work, even if only part time they will concentrate more on the job than their studies.  Let's take my friend Ivan as an example. When he was a student, he also had a job, and lost interest in school work. Later, he still worked and he only concentrated on the job because he thought earning money was more important than the school work.  He didn’t have enough time to rest so he often slept in his lessons.  Then of course his results became worse and worse.  Finally he didn't go to school at all.

Secondly, when teenagers have a part time job they may meet bad friends in the workplace and develop bad habits.  For example, they may start smoking and drinking with their bad friends, and in extreme cases they may even take drugs, which will of course be very bad for their health.  Moreover, they will not go to school because they want to avoid their friends who may find out they are taking drugs.

The last reason why I think teenagers should not take part time jobs is that they may spend money carelessly because they may think the money is earned easily. Afterwards, they might spend more and more money to buy useless things.

In conclusion, I don't think teenagers taking part time jobs is a good idea.  It may lead them to lose interest in school work, meet bad friends and develop bad habits.  It may also affect their money management skills.

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