It is not about age. It is about skill. The girls in ...

this story have NO REAL SKILS whatsoever.  They are sales, assitants, and clerks.  These are the people who are flooding the streets and empolyers can get them a dime a dozen.  ONLY WHEN THEY LEARN REAL HARD CORE SKILLS can they make any real hard core money. 

You can say the education system fails them.  But that is a moot point for them right now as they are too busy struggling to think.

It is that practical and realistic.