by Jami Salyers
A high school job can be a milestone in a teenager’s life. Most importantly, it can be part of that important transition for a teenager moving into adulthood. And while it can be a nice way to earn some extra cash, save for college, or to help the family, the value of a high school job plays an important role in teaching lessons that last a lifetime.
I got my first job when I was 16 years old and a student at Palo Verde High School in Tucson. Little did I know then that my high school job would be the beginning of what has come to be a long and successful career working for Arby’s, one of the largest fast food brands in America. Irish Beef, the franchise organization I am a partner in, owns and operates the Tucson-area Arby’s restaurants and the relationship has opened the door for endless personal opportunities and has taught me valuable work and life lessons.
Back in 1988, when I started, my parents wanted to ensure I understood the value of work, and I wanted to gain some independence by making my own money, so for me, an afterschool job was just what I needed. While this was 30 years ago, not much has changed when it comes to high school jobs. They still provide some of the most basic skills students working for the first time need to learn, like appropriate dress for work, showing up on time, managing money, teamwork, guest interactions, communication skills and participating in community programs.
So being a student worker is not only an excellent way to develop business and life skills, earn money and engage in productive after school activities, it could also provide the opportunity to discover a passion for the restaurant industry, like I did.
More specifically, student employment can help with:
Learning good money management. Contributing to car expenses and a college fund, creating a budget, and learning just how much things like food and gas cost are all lessons that are possible with a teen’s paycheck.
Improving academic performance. Studies show that if teens have less free time, they will buckle down and get their work done at school
Give teens real-world experience helping to demonstrate a work ethic and to satisfy the bosses who expect you to earn every dollar.
Summer and afterschool jobs are where many teens learn those skills, but according to the Labor Department, teens getting jobs this summer were about half the rate of what it was when I joined the workforce. Fortunately, we continue to find great talent needed here in Tucson to staff and remodel our Arby’s restaurants and open new ones.
As the director of operations for the Tucson Arby’s franchise, one of the most satisfying parts of my job is using my experience to hire and train the next generation of student workers and instill in them the work ethic I first learned as a student. I try to inspire and teach the students working for us the soft and hard skills which will enhance their careers in any field of work they choose in the future, whether it’s in the restaurant industry or something else.

Photo by Tucson photographer Martha Lochert.
What I look for in a student employee is someone who shows initiative, curiosity and a willingness to pitch in where needed. If a young person possesses those qualities, then I can mentor them to discover the skills that will help them develop a positive lifelong work ethic
At Tucson Arby’s, we recently opened a new location at 10115 E. Old Vail Road. It is the first of 5 new Arby’s restaurants we are building in Tucson, so you can imagine how excited we are about bring great food and new opportunities to the marketplace. For our new opening, we hired 55 team members, 90 percent of whom are students from Cienega, Empire and Andrada high schools in the Vail area and entered the work force for the first time.
Every week, my managers and I mentor 200-plus students that are employed across the nine Tucson-area Arby’s locations. Some of these students will discover a passion for the restaurant industry and work their way up to assistant managers and restaurant general managers, area supervisors, or maybe the director of operations. There are so many opportunities for young people in the community to gain business experience with a high school job and if you are interested in learning more about the restaurant industry, I encourage you to stop by one of our Arby’s restaurants and speak with one of our managers.