The end of the school year marks the beginning of summer for teens across North Texas. Many of them have already made plans for a summer job, but there is one industry that is asking the question, “Where have all the teenagers gone?”
Within the fast food industry, in the last 18 years, the number of teens employed in the United States dropped 15 percent.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, during the summer, teens are more interested in education opportunities, taking summer classes, and finding scholarships to help pay for college.
“Many people don’t realize everything that goes on behind the counter in a job that is this fast paced,” said Roy Roland, manager at a Jimmy Johns in Dallas.
Roland was 19 when he started with the sandwich company and has since moved up in leadership positions.
“Positivity plays a big role, and so does flexibility," Roland said. "You can’t just take take take. You have to give something as well."
