Many B.C. teens can’t find summer jobs, but some have found success with small businesses.
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In search of a summer job, Chilliwack teen Olivia Nicholson tried fast-food restaurants, grocery stores and coffee shops. But it wasn’t until she dropped off her resume at a small business that she got her first interview.
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“Most places didn’t even reply,” she said.
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Nicholson, 16, now has a quintessentially summer job selling Chilliwack corn at a roadside stand. She gets decent pay for a high-school student, reliable hours and works with a team of teens. With steady employment, she has what thousands of other young British Columbians want, but are struggling to find.
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The number of B.C. youth participating in the labour market has fallen to its lowest level in a quarter century, according to a recent analysis by the B.C. Business Council. There are about 51,000 fewer young people between the ages of 15 and 24 working across B.C. than in 2019, despite a jump in population.
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But where young job-hunters are finding some success is with small businesses, experts said. While the economic slowdown has also hit the private sector, it may still be the best place for teens to look.
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Molly MacCormack, policy analyst with the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, said many small businesses pride themselves on hiring young people.
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“They know that’s a role they play in their communities,” she said.
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While large corporations and franchises encourage teens to apply online, many small businesses respond best to someone who drops off their resume in person, she said.
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That’s how Brynna Dow found her first job at Sparkes Corn Barn, where like Nicholson, she serves customers in the Chilliwack company’s distinctive green-and-yellow drive-thru stands. She wanted a job so she could have her own spending money and start saving for a car.
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“I’ve learned so much about corn,” she said with a laugh. “The different types, how much it used to cost, and how much it costs now. I think this job sets you up well because you deal with so many different people.”
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Dow, 16, gets full-time hours at one of the company’s busiest stands, where her favourite part of the job is talking to customers. She also enjoys the unique “tips” she receives, like a box of cherries or a bag of beef jerky.
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MacCormack said that as small businesses have had to focus on “keeping the lights on,” some have had to reduce hiring. That impacts not only on teens, but their families, employers and the broader B.C. economy.
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For teens, the summer job has long been a rite of passage. A way to make some spending money, save for college and learn skills outside the classroom, including communication, time management and problem-solving.
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For parents, who might struggle to keep kids off screens when school is out, the situation can be frustrating. Some have started posting on community Facebook groups asking for tips to help their kids find work.
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And experts say B.C. employers and the economy also suffer when youth are unemployed.
