Growing up has a lot of firsts: first dance, first day of high school, and first job.
The work that young people do often defines their role in the world. The forces that shape the work world–be they market, laws, or societal trends–can determine a teen’s future.
We’ve gathered our best reporting on the impact that employment issues have on youth here. Dive into stories of opportunities found… and lost.
This coverage is funded in part by the Citi Foundation’s Pathways to Progress initiative, which is preparing young people in the U.S. and around the globe for today’s competitive job market.
Employment and Jobs
This Is What It’s Like To Work In A Migrant Shelter As A College Student
Two college students take us inside their summer job: living and working with migrant families in a shelter at the Texas border.
5 Job-Seeking Tips To Help Women Identify Creepy, Sexist Employers
We asked some working women and legal experts about how women can vet potential workplaces for general creepiness.
Looking For A Job As An International Student? Here Are 5 Pieces of Advice
Finding internships as a college student is difficult. Finding an internship as an international college student is even more challenging.
Degree Interrupted: From Foster Care To College
“[At 23], I definitely feel like an old lady being a freshman surrounded by 19-year-olds, but it’s crazy to look back and see how far I’ve come.”
YouTube Cracks Down On Bootleg Audiobooks For Teens
While Audible appeals to millions, young audiobook lovers are moving to a new platform, YouTube.
Marijuana MBA? USC Business School Weighs In On Legalization
How might young people prepare themselves to become cannabis entrepreneurs? Professionals from one of the nation’s top business schools have answers.
Happy Accident: How A Makeup Disaster Launched One Teen’s Business Career
How one teen’s disaster turned into victory, and a business.
Gen Z Fashion: From YouTube To Your Closet
The fashion industry squares off against a legion of Gen Zers with webcams.
First Job? Here’s What You Should Know About Sexual Harassment
As sexual harassment revelations break out across the country, #MeToo continues to be in the headlines. But what’s at stake for young women entering the workplace?
Rethinking the Rejection Letter
After having my life completely structured for 18 years, it’s up to me now.
I Just Got DACA, And Now Trump Is Canceling It
It took more than a year for my DACA to be processed and approved. Now I fear that I’ll have to quit my job before I even begin my first day.
Confronting Class Across The Fast Food Counter
It’s always awkward when kids I know come in as customers. The underlying context is clear: Instead of being out having a good time on a Saturday night, I’m at work, serving them.
Love For Appalachia, Longing For More Opportunity
Jobs are hard to come by in Appalachia, and chances are slim that I can stay here and be successful at the same time.
Interning While Black: Battling Imposter Syndrome
I’ve been interning at a tech company that makes mobile apps. Being young, black and Muslim, it’s a little intimidating working in a place without many people of color.
What It’s Like To Be A Teen Farmworker
I like the sounds of the fields, hearing people speaking Spanish and the radio blasting ranchera tunes. It sounds like my childhood.
From Coding To Construction
It seems like everyone is talking about how more women need to go into technical careers. For a while I considered studying computer science. But I found myself craving something more tangible.
More Women Are Choosing To Code, But Is Silicon Valley Ready For Them?
For many companies, the challenge goes beyond recruiting new female tech talent — the trick is retaining them.
Hope and Fear: Two California Teens On What A Sanctuary State Would Mean
Two undocumented teens: One lives in a sanctuary city, and one does not. In paired essays, they describe how a sanctuary state would change their lives.
Going to College Without a Safety Net
My family has always been economically vulnerable — something a recent survey, called GenForward, from the University of Chicago, says is common among black and Latino youth.