If you're searching for your first job, employers and experts have some tips

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“You don’t have to be an economist to know this,” said Jairo Yunis, policy director with the BCBC. “You hear it when you talk to a parent whose kid can’t find a job or a young person who has spent six months job-hunting and they’re still searching.”

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He said teens are missing out on lessons and experience that can impact their future work, including how to show up on time, take direction from a boss and money management.

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“But the hole gets deeper, not only for them, but for all British Columbians,” he said.

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Young people contribute more in taxes than they use in services. Their energy and new ideas, as well as digital literacy, benefit businesses. They’re also more likely to start their own business if they’ve worked for one where they’re given more responsibility and opportunities.

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Emma Dow, the human resources manager for Sparkes, also co-ordinates corn deliveries to dozens of stands and works as a foreman. It’s the 20-year-old student’s seventh summer with the company, where she began working in a roadside stand. When she was asked to take over hiring, scheduling and other duties, she ran with it.

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“It’s fast-paced work and the days fly by,” she said.

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Emma Dow, Sparkes Corn Barn human resources manager, began working in a corn stand, but slowly took on more responsibilities. Photo by Jason Payne /PNG

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Dow said young people are open-minded and coachable, and they usually come with a positive outlook that is desirable for a small business.

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Owner Ian Sparkes said he’s willing to give young people a chance as long as they bring in their resumes themselves. If their dad or mom asks for a job for their kids, it’s a red flag. He’s proud of several former employees who have gone on to become lawyers and doctors, but also those who haven’t had the opportunity to go to post-secondary school and have a strong work ethic.

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“You can build a hell of a team by focusing on people and encouraging their strengths,” he said.

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Sparkes said he struggles to find people to work in his warehouse where more than 100,000 cobs of picked corn arrive every morning starting at 3 a.m. for sorting, washing and packing. He employs migrant workers whose work ethic and professionalism are impressive, he said.

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Sparkes, whose parents farmed beans, peas and corn before the market became global and profits shrank, used to sell pumpkins as a kid. He started his corn farm on rented land and built much of his production line himself.

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“Is been a lot of hard work,” he said.

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Owner Ian Sparkes employs almost two dozen young people to sell corn at roadside stands across the Fraser Valley and Metro Vancouver. Photo by Jason Payne /PNG

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In places where small businesses are thriving, it seems like young people are too. At a produce store in Chilliwack recently, two youth stocked cherries, apricots and blueberries. On a road that visitors use to get to Cultus Lake, two teen girls scooped ice-cream at a kiosk. A teen boy mowed the lawn outside a small farm business. And at a small amusement park nearby, youth took tickets, kept the park clean and served food.

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Yunis said the province’s stagnant private-sector job growth plays a big role in youth unemployment. The post-COVID-19 increase in temporary residents and international students also increased competition for entry-level jobs, while the high cost of doing business in B.C., from payroll taxes, to insurance, to red tape, has also had a chilling effect.

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While June job numbers showed a slight rebound in youth employment, possibly due to immigration policy changes and the World Cup, the economist isn’t convinced it is part of a lasting trend.

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“It’s still very dire,” he said.

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