In some regions, people between the ages of 13 and 19 are advised to work in their leisure time to earn income and develop working skills. While this development has been criticized by a few individuals, I believe it is highly beneficial for teenagers.
Most of the time, the jobs available for the youth are in the service industry for a minimum wage, and this can feel like exploitation and overall a waste of time. This is mainly because these jobs do not align with what they want to work on in the future and the compensation does not match their expectations. For instance, it is less likely for a 17-year-old who is employed at a supermarket to want to continue working there for the rest of his life because it pays less and it is not as interesting compared to his other options.
With that being said, working at such a young age gives teenagers skills that they can use for the rest of their lives. Whether they are practical or soft skills, they will learn things that can improve their understanding of the world and ways to navigate life in general. This is because work allows them to interact with people outside their circle as well as use their knowledge in the physical world. One example of this is students who intern at companies that they want to work for in the future, which gives them an edge over their competition ahead of time.
In conclusion, I understand that working at a young age can feel irrelevant, but I believe it can be beneficial if it is targeted and planned to support future endeavors.