Stop Complaining & Give Our Youth a Chance to Shine!

By Erika Willitzer (Article Sponsored by OhioMeansJobs of Defiance County)

I have three daughters, and all had a similar experience when they hit the age of 16 and could drive. They wanted to volunteer or get a part time job. They wanted to try their hand at getting out in the “real world”. The weird thing was – everywhere they turned, they were all told they had to be 18 years of age to volunteer or work at certain places. I asked around and found out other parents had the same experience.

As the Executive Director at Defiance County Economic Development, I also hear how some companies complain about the youth. It’s common to hear phrases like, “We’re in trouble with the youth today.” “The young people don’t know anything.”, etc. (Please note: not all think like this, but we do hear it a lot.)

My comment on that is, YEAH, we’re in trouble, because we haven’t even given our youth a chance. We haven’t made them feel included in our community. We are not doing our part to teach them our trades or good work ethics. Sometimes we don’t even ask them for their opinion.

Several months ago, my team member Paige Wesche, who is in her 20’s attended a meeting on engaging with our youth. I was in attendance, too. I was floored at what happened. We sat there for quite a while listening to people talk about how youth don’t know how to do anything, or they don’t have “work ethic”. Paige in our office, then raises her hand, and asks, “We are here to figure out how to engage with our youth – right? Then why are there hardly any young people here to discuss that topic?” The giant pause followed, with no good explanation or answer.

We can’t just keep complaining. We need to step up and engage with our youth. Keep in mind, many are not even getting their first jobs until they are 18 now. I started working and volunteering when I was 14. When people are just starting out in the “real world” at 18, of course they are going to need more training.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt is quoted as saying, “We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future.”

In today's fast-paced world, it's easy to overlook the power of giving teenagers or those in their 20s, a chance to volunteer or work their first job. But the benefits are immense—not just for the youth themselves but for the communities and businesses that welcome them.

Teenagers who start working or volunteering early can begin building a network of professional contacts. These connections may lead to future job opportunities. And, when students intern/work locally, they feel more connected to their hometown, and they are more likely to choose to live and work where they grew up.

Does it take time to teach? For sure. Will everyone be a fit? No. But think of what you gain if you begin to build a workforce of home towners. You’ll get loyalty, you’ll be passing down your knowledge of a trade, and most importantly, our youth won’t be moving away, like so many have already. They’ll be staying local.

So, instead of saying, our youth are lazy. How about asking the question, what have I done to help/mentor a younger person. Think back to when you were younger, and how someone mentored you. I recall the many who helped me, and it made all the difference. It’s probably why I ended up coming back to work in Defiance County, Ohio!

Reach out to Erika Willitzer (Executive Director of Defiance County Economic Development) with any business question.

Erika@DefianceCountyED.com