Gallery 1 Fiberglass Pool Pictures & Designs Above Ground Pools Spas Contact Us
Lufkin Daily News Article
Teens Join Workforce For Summer
Many can
remember their first summer job, whether it was taking tickets at the movie
theater, serving up hamburgers at the local eatery or performing manual
labor at a construction site.
The “Y generation” in Lufkin contributes to the local workforce each summer, as well.
Haley Wells, 17, and Chad Bailey, 16, will spend this summer working at The Pool Store, located at 4102 U.S. Highway 69 south.
Both are children of owner Rory Stringer’s longtime customers.
“We’ve been customers for years,” Wells said. “I came up here mid-spring, and Rory told me to come in on Friday at 10 a.m. I picked this because of the hours and because it’s more laid back. I like it.”
Because Stringer’s business picks up primarily in the heat of the summer, he said hiring teenagers for part-time work is a smart move for him.
“My business is from the end of May to August, so teenagers are perfect for a seasonal business,” Stringer said.
“They are green, so I can teach them to do things the way I want them to be done. They don’t have any idea about how to do it until I teach them. That’s why I hire teenagers.”
Wells will spend the summer working behind the counter ringing up customers, taking water samples, cleaning hot tubs and answering phones. Bailey is out in the sun building and installing pools.
“He is a jack of all trades,” Stringer said. “He’s my professional gofer. It’s been baptism by fire. He’s learned plumbing, repair and how to work a level.”
Bailey said this is his first summer job, and as one of eight siblings, he enjoys the independence of earning his own paycheck.
“My dad knew Rory, and he asked if he needed any help,” Bailey said. “That was it. It’s more hours and better pay than other jobs. I can pay for my own gas, and that’s the main reason for me.”
Wells said she plans to learn more than just the pool business. She hopes this job will prepare her for life after high school.
“It’s important to have a summer job because being a senior this year, I have to go into the real world and this will teach me what it’s like to have a job,” Wells said. “I need to learn how to pay my own bills and why not learn now? It’s better than twiddling my thumbs at home. I wanted to try and find something to do, and you get the chance to learn the value of money.”