BUSINESS
Teen wage dream High school, college students share what it takes to get a summer job
BY MONICA D. SPENCER
T
HERE’S NO QUESTION LANDING a job in Maricopa can be difficult. But for high school and college students wanting to save up for
their first car or put aside money for tuition? It’s nearly impossible, said each city-dwelling young adult InMaricopa interviewed just after school let out. The teens said their quests to find an afterschool or summer job often lasted months. It’s been a disheartening attempt at a rite of passage for some. “I feel like most of my summers were spent at home doing nothing because I just couldn’t get the opportunity to work and make some money,” said Glennwilde resident Bryson Tuke, 20, a community college student. He spent most of his high school career searching for work before he finally received an offer to do phone sales in May. Tuke wasn’t the only one. Six of the other students we spoke with said they applied for dozens of jobs only to find the businesses weren’t actually hiring, or the teens were too young to qualify.
KAYLIN HANSEN
MADISEN JAY
What is your job? Team member at Burger King How long have you been working here? 4 months How was the job hunt? It was very
What is your job? Membership services associate at Copper Sky
How long have you been working here? 11 months
How was the job hunt? I was looking for a job for three or four months. Once I applied here, though, it was a quick process. What do you enjoy about your job? I love meeting all the different people that come here. It’s always a good experience and all my coworkers are just genuinely cool people. How do you plan to spend your money? I save a lot of it. Some goes toward random, fun little things and hanging out with friends, but mainly savings.
difficult and frustrating. I applied to over 26 businesses, and I interviewed at six different places with no callbacks. There are a lot of places in Maricopa that have a minimum age of 18 or 21, which I don’t fit in with. What do you enjoy about your job? I enjoy the slower hours of my shift when I can spend my time making sure my area is stocked, cleaned and prepared. There’s always something to do, therefore, I am never standing around doing nothing. How do you plan to spend your money? I spent my first paycheck on a Mother’s Day gift for my mom. Future purchases are TBD.
WHAT WAS YOUR HIGH SCHOOL SUMMER JOB?
12%
25%
Residence: Glennwilde School: Central Arizona College Major: Science
19%
14%
Residence: Maricopa Meadows School: Maricopa High School Grade: 12
1%
7%
9% 13%
Source: InMaricopa poll of 921 readers
InMaricopa.com | July 2025
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