A High-School Employment Bureau

Abstract

Many high-school pupils seek permanent employment as soon as they graduate. Many others find it necessary to work during the summer months. In order to secure for such boys and girls the work for which they are best fitted, an employment bureau has been established in the schools of Hazleton, Pennsylvania. The bureau attempts to meet the needs of pupils in both the junior high school and the senior high school. This article, however, deals with the senior high school branch, as it is of this department that the writer has charge. Business men and others wishing to employ pupils notify the school, stating the kind of help wanted and the qualifications necessary. Thus, the bureau acts as a sort of clearing-house, assisting the pupil to find the work he desires and is capable of doing and aiding the prospective employer in finding someone who will do the required work satisfactorily. A large commercial class is graduated each year; of course, the pupils in this class are preparing to enter the business world at once. Many other pupils who do not expect to enter higher schools want employment of various kinds. There are also many boys and girls who wish to work during the summer-those planning to attend higher schools and those who have not finished their high-school courses. It is more difficult to place the young people in this last group, for there are comparatively few temporary jobs. Furthermore, unless they need extra help merely for a short time, most employers are unwilling to risk losing a worker just about the time he has been trained to do his work. Unfortunately, there are also many pupils who find it necessary to work part time during the school year. To them are open such jobs as working in a store, serving as mother's helper, running an elevator, driving a car, and doing housework. Of these, the first two are by far the most popular. The last is