I started working summers when I was 15. Full time at 18.
My 2 nephews who went to college and are good at computers and graphics have not had a full time job yet and they are 22! Not even a part time one till this year.
Their mother got one to help part time in the company she works at just this summer....
I told both they could do what I do which is help desk work. Starting out pay depends on what you know and where you work but I make over $25/hr and all I do is answer a phone (maybe a bit more...).
They laughed just thinking to do such a job. I have co-workers who are around 30 and making starting pay of about $20/hr. I wish I made that at that age.
4 years of college and no job. Their mom a conservative and their dad a very big liberal.
It's amazing isn't it? I wanted to work, and all of the College Profs recommended having a job during school, just so we would have something for our resumes. My first job out of College (took the first one I could get) was a straight commission sales job...it was probably the most "valuable" thing that I did.
Looking back, I realize how little I knew about the business world when I graduated.
At that first "real" job, I learned how to sell, and made today's equivalent of $50,000 my first year; thought I had hit the lottery. Took that experience, and kept moving on and up until I was eventually traveling all over the country as a sales manager.
Something is wrong, and I think that this author has a lot of it right for many kids. Getting that paycheck when I was first working was a big deal, and a motivation to figure out how to earn more.
I will say this however: Ever increasing taxes and fees, wildly increasing health insurance premiums, etc. are enough to discourage even the hardest workers and business owners. I work 60 hours per week or more; watching lazy slobs reap the rewards of my hard work is NOT particularly fulfilling.