As a result of a student survey conducted last week, the Atlantic School District’s School to Work Advisory Committee is partnering with the Chamber of Commerce this fall to update information on available part-time jobs and employers open to hosting student job shadows. Last Monday, the Atlantic School to Work Advisory Committee visited Atlantic High School to administer a survey on post-graduation plans and career interests, as well as part-time employment.

The survey found high interest in part-time work in Atlantic. Half of AHS students expressed interest in working during the school day for class credit. Although a little over half of AHS students do not have a part-time job, approximately 75 percent of students without part-time jobs are interested in getting one. Additionally, almost half of students surveyed expressed an interest in job shadowing someone in the Atlantic community.

The biggest barrier to part-time employment for high school students is time available due to involvement in activities. Over 40 percent of students without a part-time job said activity schedules made it challenging for them to find work. Jobs with flexible hours that do not require a student to work during activity practices or performances and competitions are particularly helpful in addressing this need. There has historically been frustration from businesses when they advertise jobs available to high school students, only to have few if any students apply. The committee hopes the findings on activities hours will be helpful to businesses when structuring work hours and hiring part-time high-school help.

Part-time jobs in a field of career interest provide students with the opportunity to earn money while furthering career exploration. The top ten areas of career interest for AHS students are healthcare, education, art (such as graphic design), tech (such as programming, app designing, web development), engineering, agriculture, music/theater, military, construction, and journalism/communications.

However, even work outside an area of career interest can be beneficial to a high-school student in terms of developing life skills. Given a list of potential part-time jobs available in Atlantic, students indicated the greatest interest in babysitting/childcare, grocery stores, coffee shops/restaurants, other stores (hardware stores, Walmart, etc.), auto shops, and lifeguarding. Students also expressed interest in housekeeping and agriculture/farmhand opportunities.

Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Bailey Smith will be reaching out to area businesses to update a list of part-time jobs and job shadow opportunities available to high-school students in the area. Employers offering part-time work to high-school students can contact Smith at (bailey@atlanticiowa.com). The compiled list of opportunities will be shared with students later this fall.

Over the course of the school year the School to Work Advisory Committee will address student career development needs, and plans to host a Career Day this spring. For more information on School to Work and the advisory committee, contact JoAnn Runyan at jrunyan@atlanticiaschools.org or 712-249-6154.