Workforce Links

Tips for 14 & 15 Year Olds

Legal / regulatory basics in New Mexico

Before anything else, they (and you) need to understand what’s allowed and how to stay in compliance.

• In New Mexico, the minimum age for employment is 14 years. (nmcareersolutions.com)
  
  

• For 14- and 15-year-olds, a work permit is required. (Justia Law)
  
  

  • Within Albuquerque Public Schools, students aged 14 or 15 can request a work permit at their school. (Albuquerque Public Schools)
    
    

  • Work permits may also be issued via the state Department of Workforce Solutions or related offices. (nmcareersolutions.com)
    
    

• Hours are restricted. For 14- and 15-year-olds in school weeks:
  
  

  • Max 3 hours on a school day. (ELH / HR4Sight)
    
    

  • Max 18 hours/week during school weeks. (WorkforceHub)
    
    

  • During non-school periods, they may work up to 8 hours/day and up to 40 hours/week (within other constraints). (dws.state.nm.us)
    
    

  • Time-of-day restrictions: cannot work before 7 a.m. or after 7 p.m. (except during summer or certain non-school periods, when the limit is extended to 9 p.m.). (Homebase)
    
    

• Some work is prohibited (hazardous jobs, certain manufacturing, etc.). (Cloudinary)
  
  

So always check if a job is legal under child labor laws before applying.

Also: the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) sets additional constraints for minors. (dws.state.nm.us)

Types of places that do sometimes hire younger teens (14–15)

Because of the restrictions, many employers are reluctant to hire very young teens. But there are categories more likely to give them a shot:

Type of Employer

Possible Roles for 14–15 Year-Olds

Pros & Challenges

City / municipal / seasonal government / parks & rec

Lifeguard aide, park worker, pool attendant, event staff, museum aide, community center support

Pros: these often have youth programs and are more used to working with minors. E.g. City of Albuquerque hires youth jobs seasonally. (City of Albuquerque) Challenges: competition, may require special youth program registration

Nonprofits / community centers / libraries / afterschool programs

Tutor, library aide, camp counselor (junior roles), general assistant, maintenance helper

Less glamorous but steady and often flexible around school

Recreation / amusement / entertainment venues

Amusement parks, splash pads, arcades, mini-golf, concession stands

Younger teens may be considered for concession / grounds work

Food service / restaurants (limited roles)

Busser, host/hostess, clearing tables, dishwashing (if allowed), runner/prep work

Customer-facing roles may be restricted; many restaurants prefer 16+

Grocery stores / small local shops

Baggers, cart retrieval, shelf stocking, bagging, cleanup

Some local chains or independent stores may take teens

Movie theaters / cinemas

Ushering, cleaning, lobby work, ticketing in some cases

May have age limits, but worth asking locally

Online / gig / home-based work

Pet sitting, lawn mowing, babysitting, tutoring younger kids, yard cleanup, simple tasks

Very flexible, can often bypass some formal job restrictions if paid privately

Seasonal / event work

Concession stands at events/fairs, festival staff, farmers markets, event setup/teardown

Seasonal but good experience

Local leads & opportunities in Albuquerque

Here are some specific leads or resources for youth jobs in Albuquerque that your freshmen can try:

• City of Albuquerque Youth Jobs / Seasonal Positions
  The city runs youth job and volunteer programs. (City of Albuquerque)
  The city’s “summer seasonal positions” program explicitly mentions 14–15 year olds with work permits. (City of Albuquerque)
  
  

• ABQ Youth Job & Volunteer Fair
  The city holds a youth job & volunteer fair, with positions for 14-year-olds (with work permit) and 15+ youth. (City of Albuquerque)
  
  

• WECEP (Work Experience & Career Exploration Program)
  For youth aged 14 and 15, this is an approved program. (dws.state.nm.us)
  
  

• Local restaurants & cafes
  From anecdotal sources, smaller restaurants may take teens for bussing, dishwashing, etc. One Reddit comment suggests:
  
  “Garcia’s Kitchen, Paisanos, table bussing jobs … still an expectation of customer service but not as directly customer-facing.” (Reddit)

• Indeed / other job boards
  Many “teen jobs” listings appear on job boards in Albuquerque: host/hostess, cashier roles, team member roles. (Indeed)
  
  

• Local events / fairs / markets
  Many events (concerts, markets, sports events) hire extra help (concessions, cleanup) that may accept younger teens. Keep an eye on local event job postings.
  
  

• Small local business / mom & pop shops
  Encourage the teens to walk into local shops (ice cream parlors, small diners, local grocery, corner stores) and ask whether they’d hire younger teens. These often have more flexibility.

Tips to make their applications stronger / increase chances

• Start small, local, and personal
  Going door-to-door (or storefront to storefront) with a resume, introducing themselves, expressing willingness to do simple tasks, can catch small businesses who rarely advertise formally.
  
  

• Emphasize reliability, attitude, willingness to learn
  Since teens will have less experience, strong soft skills (punctuality, responsible, flexible) stand out.
  
  

• Offer to start with “back of house” tasks
  If they can’t immediately land a front-facing role, shadow work, cleaning, prep, bussing, or stock work may open doors to more responsibility later.
  
  

• Show you know your legal limits
  If the teen (or you) explains that “I know I can only work during these hours and need a work permit,” some employers may appreciate the maturity.
  
  

• Get references
  Even from teachers, coaches, volunteer work, or family friends — someone who can vouch for work ethic.
  
  

• Be persistent & apply broadly
  Don’t expect every place to respond; treat it statistically. The more places they try, the higher the chance of landing something.
  
  

• Be aware of gaps (like transportation, scheduling)
  Teens often struggle with transit or overlapping with school. Help them plan which jobs are reachable given their commute and availability.
  
  

• Encourage volunteer work / internships
  If paid work is hard to find initially, unpaid or low-pay internship, volunteer, or co-op opportunities can build skills, references, and lead to paid work later.
  
  

• Use school resources
  The school’s counselors, career center, or job fairs may have leads. Some schools partner with local businesses or run on-campus job programs.

Work opportunity for Seniors who are planning to go into the workforce after graduating (also a good opportunity for parents). Only a high school diploma, no experience required.

$1000 sign-on bonus, $13-$16 base pay plus commission, full benefits, paid professional licensure, and holidays and vacation time! 

Apply online at fredloya.com/careers or go to their weekly Wednesday job fair at 2710 San Mateo Blvd NW at 10 am and 2 pm 

Full Time Jobs with Benefits for Graduating Seniors!

Workforce Option for graduating seniors at New Mexico Orthopaedic Associates

Medical Assistant Roomer!

• Workforce opportunity for non-college-bound seniors post-graduation

• (505)336-2473 HollisterJA@nmortho.net

• See graphic attached 

• Pay$: ~$16 per hour (to start)

• Schedule: Monday-Friday (paid holidays included)

• Full-time employee benefits

• To apply: Email your resume to hr@nmortho.net

• Training included

• If you do not plan to go straight to college, this is a great starting point for a career!

Become an 911 Operator! On the Job Training!

Bernalillo County Emergency Communications 911 dispatch center has entry-level positions available for High School graduates. They offer on-the-job training and provide all certifications necessary to be a 911 operator/dispatcher.

Interested students can apply at Bernco.gov. Here is the link to the page https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/bernco?page=2. The open position is Emergency Communications Operator (ECO). 

Alvarado Day School is looking for students aged 18 and older to work part-time at their daycare center. They are located at 300 Alvarado SE. If you qualify and are interested, please visit their center. Their number is 505-266-5846.