Data derived from a National Center for Education Statistics study of 58,728 high school sophomores and seniors, entitled "High School and Beyond," was used to describe youth employment experiences and attitudes. The data showed that employment is common among high school students and seems to be an integral part of adolescence; employment possibly may be necessary for the smooth transition to adult job-holding, at least for those students who do not go to college. Another major finding of the study was that as early as the sophomore year, most jobs held by high school students were structured jobs. Furthermore, a shift seems to take place during the high school years in the types of jobs students have, going from more unstructured jobs such as babysitting and grass mowing to structured jobs in food services, factories, sales, and clerical occupations. However, job experience varied widely among students of all types, and females generally worked fewer hours and were paid less per hour than males. Overall, the largest differences in work experience were found between sophomore and senior students. The senior students more closely resembled the adult labor force in every aspect considered in this study. Thus, even while youth are still in school, there appears to be a gradual movement toward greater involvement in work, and any evaluation of the teenage work experience would greatly depend on the stage at which it was observed. (KC)