The scene is routine: your parent comes home and says she’s just seen your school friend bagging at the local Publix. Part-time jobs in highschool are popular, but one employer seems to shine above the rest. Publix Super Markets employs an abundance of North Atlanta students, offering them invaluable experience and customer service skills. Many employers desire highschool students as employees due to their high energy and youthful skills, however Publix reigns supreme in getting the attention of ambitious NA students.
A part-time job while in high-school offers many opportunities and experiences for young adults. It exposes them to all kinds of situations like impolite customers, unfair assignments, and bad bosses. In any part time job, you learn how to navigate people, which is vital for thriving in the modern workplace. Being able to navigate the human landscape will never not be necessary in a profession, and part-time jobs give North Atlanta students an opportunity to learn those skills.
Publix in particular offers a unique set of benefits high school students can’t find at other places. According to multiple North Atlanta student’s employed by Publix, these include flexible hours, thoughtful coworkers, unequaled exposure to the real world, a good workplace culture, and respectful management. Rio Satoh, a Junior at North Atlanta, compliments the company culture. “I respect and get along with all of my coworkers, and I think that is a direct reflection of Publix’s premier consideration for the well-being of its employees,” said Satoh.
Rude customers are a part of any business that is directly connected to the customer experience, including Publix. However, when you flip that mindset like Junior Price Heinz has, it becomes an asset. Learning how to deal with difficult customers is a valuable skill in the real world. “As an employee, I am required to be patient and help customers, regardless of their attitude,” said Heinz. “Learning that skill will help me down the road.”
High school is difficult, and balancing homework load, social life, and a healthy lifestyle is hard enough. In order to successfully add a part-time job to the schedule, students must be disciplined, but also have a considerate employer. Senior Kacey Walker, part of the IB career program, considers Publix’s flexible hours a vital part of balancing her school life with her work life. “I only work on weekends, and they let me decide what hours I want to work,” said Walker. “That is incredibly helpful to staying on top of school work as well as my schedule.”
Publix Super Markets has created a company culture that attracts many, and North Atlanta students have taken advantage of it.
