Companies Turning to Montco Teenagers to Fill Gaps as Labor Shortage Continues

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Labor Shortage
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Upper Merion Area High School sophomore Nate McCollum is one of the many local teenagers who are entering the workforce to fill the holiday season gap created by the ongoing labor shortage, writes Erin Arvedlund for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

“This is my first job,” said 15-year-old McCollum. “I’m really enjoying it. It’s really nice to have money in my pocket. And I’ve met a lot of new people. It’s helped me experience new things.”

The teen started working part-time at Panera Bread in King of Prussia during the summer. He mostly works closing shifts on the weekend except on Sunday, when he has to leave at 7 p.m. due to schoolwork.

His starting pay was $9 an hour, but in early November, the company increased starting pay for all of its employees. This bumped McCollum to $13 an hour.

“Some of my friends work at Peppers [restaurant], and then another one had a job at a local ice cream shop, and another at Duck Donuts,” in King of Prussia, he said. “I’m probably making more than most of them.”

Read more about Nate McCollum and other teens entering the workforce to make up for the labor shortage in The Philadelphia Inquirer.

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