Career and Technical Education Levels

Level 1: Learning in classroom and online

Level 2: In school hands-on programs such as building tiny houses

Level 3: Volunteering services outside of classes (in clubs)

Level 4: Earning money in a job or business venture

Need to reverse the trend of students working less and borrowing more

Teens (16-19) percentage working in the summer decreased from 70% to 45% in the last 20 years. Student loans, on the other hand, trippled since 2007.

Teens (15-19) on average work 1hr per day while they have almost 6 hours in leisure and sports.

If students work more to make more money so that they could save more, it would be easier to start homeownership earlier.

If taking on a student loan to go to college will delay homeownership, it may not be a good choice. 61 percent of college students said they regretted how much they borrowed with student loans.

The average student loan for a borrower was $38k in 2023. This is enough to buy a ready to build lot in Houston.

Consider work first or work half-time to gain homeownership as soon as possible.

What if students work 500 hour per year toward homeownership

When a business is owned or operated by a parent or legal custodian, the parent or custodian may employ their own children at any age to work any hours, so long as the work is non-hazardous (not prohibited) and the child works under the parent or custodian's direct supervision (Texas Workforce Commission).

14- and 15-year-olds can work up to 8 hours on a non-school day or 40 hours during a non-school week, and up to 3 hours on a school day, in non-hazardous jobs.

By working 500 hours per year toward homeownership,
starting from age 15 getting paid average $7 per hour to $15 per hour by age 18,
investing the money in a land fund making 10% APR interest,
buying land before high school graduation, a 1600 ft ² lot,
a student could start building home on owned land by age 18, and
build 400+ ft² home by age 22, without debt.

Most high school student jobs are in retail and food services. If by learning construction in high school and becoming more productive building home than other jobs, it could be higher pay by working on building own or other students homes.

start working in high school making $7 to $15 per hour

What are the ways to work and earn money?

As employee: working for employer, lowest risk, need to find a job. Internship, part-time job, summer job, or full-time job (after graduation). Salaried, hourly, contractor, or commission based

As a business owner: responsible for all risks and profits; may lose money. Need to have money to pay employees (>minimum wage) and subcontractors

As investor: need to have money to invest; may lose money. "90% rule" in stock trading: 90% of novice traders lose a 90% of capital within 90 days

As a self-employed business: single owner worker without other employees. If you are capable of doing this alone, good for you.

As a worker owned business: workers also owners sharing risks and profits. May include one or more teacher(s) and/or parent(s). Can always start here

Types of Business

Production & Manufacturing: creating physical products from raw materials

Services: providing expertise or labor. By hour, piecework, or commission

Flipping: buying undervalued items, improving them, and reselling for profit

Trading: buying and selling goods without modifying them

Subscription, Licensing & Royalties: intellectual products usage fee

Leasing & Renting: generating revenue by temporarily providing assets

Nonprofit: work for social benefits, rely on volunteering, grants and donations

Common High School Summer Jobs in the Houston Area

Job Type	Wage,$/hr	Notes
Retail & Sales	$10 - $14	Clothing stores, supermarkets, and convenience stores
Fast Food & Restaurants	$9 - $13	McDonald's, Chick-fil-A, local restaurants (higher with tips)
Lifeguard & Recreation	$12 - $18	Pools, waterparks, community centers (certification required)
Internships	$12 - $20+	Some unpaid, but STEM/business internships may pay higher
Manual Labor	$13 - $18	Landscaping, moving, warehouse jobs
Childcare & Tutoring	$12 - $20+	Babysitting, summer camp, tutoring younger students
Delivery & Gig Work	$12 - $18	If 18+, DoorDash, Uber Eats, Amazon Flex
Pet Care	$10 - $15	Dog walking, pet sitting, grooming assistant

Worker Owned Construction Business Model

A teacher and 10 students form a worker owned business

Pay grade is agreed 25 for the teacher and 15 for the students (may be different for different experience level of students)

Each project is the shell of 3 homes 200 ft2 each, 3 students/home mostly

Materials and tool rentals from (credit card) loans, $5k each home

Labor fee is agreed with buyers (could be students) $5k each home

55 hours/person, 605 person-hours, 202 for each home, 100-300 typical

Labor fee is paid when completed and inspected, $15k for 3 homes shells

The teacher gets $39/hour while each student $23/hour

Each buyer gets 200 ft2 shell for $10k. Will spend another $10k finishing

Construction related Business

Deconstruction (re-sale removed material)

Land clearing

Land grading

Concrete and pavers

Surveying

Landscaping

Maintenance

Electric

Plumbing

HVAC

Land Development Business

Buy lower cost land that is at least half acre size without deed restrictions

Lower cost is, if within city limit, about $10/ft2

Within commuting distance to Houston, about $2/ft2

Divide into smaller lots, 1250 to 2000 ft2 within city, 2500 to 5000 ft2 outside

Add infrastructure as needed

Sell lots to home buyers to use construction loan to build starter home

Price for each lot starting $30k with sewer, water, and electricity connections

Need to pool some capital, and get a loan if not enough capital

As larger size land is typically cheaper per acre, all groups buying in the same area should be coordinated to buy together then divide the bought land

Homeownership Education Business

As this is educational, it could be setup as nonprofit

Help students, and their renter parents, understand the importance of homeownership and to work toward homeownership

Help future homeowners to plan earning more money, saving more money, building up credit score, and buy lot to build starter home with construction loan

Solar Panel Installation Business

Residential solar system installations have been increasing and labor cost is large part of the installed cost
Start from feasibility study of a school parking lot converting to solar panel covered parking
If the school approves, source equipment and funding
Manufacturing of some structure parts may be done in house
Install it
Then expand to other areas

Food Services Business

Prepare food to sell in events
Provide catering services
Sell food to households directly, e.g. students take food home as dinner

Tourism Business

Tourism is a billion-dollar industry in Houston, over $10 billion revenue
Take part in events
Organize events
Provide services to tourism sites

Preventive Healthcare Business

Obesity rate is over 40% and is a leading cause of preventable death in the U.S.
Healthy eating services
Healthy weight services
Healthy exercise services

Agri Business

Landscaping, for builders, HOA, and homeowners
Nursery, direct sell to landscapers, builders, HOA, and homeowners
Flower farming, as nursery, landscaping, or cut flower production
Vegetable farming, as service for residents or production for sale
Raising bass in retention pond for sale and fishing recreation
Converting swimming pool to natural pool with plants and sand filters (and UV light) to keep the water clean and clear without chemicals
Modifying yard dual use water detention area
Tropical plant winter protection services
Construction of greenhouse or sunroom
Aquaculture production

Application Robot Business

Source existing robots for various applications
Build (source most parts) robots for various application
Especially consider robots for construction industry

Help students work more paid hours

Hire Houston Youth

Parents help students get jobs, or work with students in their learning to work or starting business

High schools offer more paid intern credit hours

Employers consider more job opportunities for students summer and part-time

Non-profits help prepare and organize students in paid work

AEC Green Development