As dawn breaks, the gentle glow of the sun seeps through the window of a bustling Starbucks, illuminating junior Kaitlyn Gonzalez. She stands behind the counter, swiftly operating the espresso machine amid the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and the hum of hissing steam.

According to a study by the National Center of Education Statistics, like Gonzalez, nearly 20% of students age 16 and over become employed sometime during their time in high school.

Gonzalez said she chose to pursue a job to financially support her family.

“I felt like if I could buy the things we needed, she wouldn’t have to spend as much and (could) focus on putting her money towards other important things,” Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez, who said she averages 20-30 hours of work per week, said it is challenging to manage her time between her academics, extracurriculars and a job.

“Being a student athlete can (make) it very stressful if you don’t balance your time well,” Gonzalez said. “There’s been some times where I’ve had to skip a class to go run to a shift.”

Sophomore Kensie Pao, who works as a barista at Boba Guys, said working alongside a diverse group of people has helped her understand new perspectives.

“It’s interesting to see my coworkers see the community differently,” Pao said. “They all have been supportive of me.”

Pao said her job provides valuable experiences by connecting her with the community and improving her social skills.

“There’s so many different interactions you’ll have with people that you won’t get anywhere else,” Pao said. “It makes you feel responsible for the job at hand because people are relying on you.”

Work Experience teacher Rachael Kaci, who teaches at both Paly and Gunn, said Career Technical Education pathways at Paly allows students to develop new interests and eventually discover a career path.

“You want to be mindful that you are already building your career portfolio in high school already, (whether) that may be electives courses or extracurriculars,” Kaci said.

And in addition to participating in CTE pathways, Kaci said getting a job in high school can help students strengthen skills and their work ethic in preparation for a future career.

“The next step would be going to career events and networking, meeting industry professionals, volunteering and getting a job,” Kaci said.