By Carol Church, Writer, Family Album
Reviewed by Suzanna Smith, PhD, Department of Family, Youth, and Community Sciences, University of Florida, and Martie Gillen, PhD, Department of Family, Youth, and Community Sciences, University of Florida
When I was in high school, I earned summer cash by babysitting, answering phones in an accountant’s office, and a series of not-too-great temp jobs (in one case, I inventoried women’s socks, tights, and underwear in a dark back room of a department store). Whether you were working a register, waiting tables, or mowing grass, I’d bet that you remember your teenage summer jobs pretty vividly, too.
Fewer Teens Working
However, many of today’s teens may never look back on such experiences. The Department of Labor reports that the number of teens with summer jobs has been declining for years. In the 1980s and 1990s, about half of teens between 16 and 19 had summer jobs. But today, only about 30% of teens this age are working during summer. Numbers are even lower among poorer teens and African American and Latino teenagers.
One Reason: Summer School and Internships
What’s behind this steep drop? Today, more than half of teens attend some form of school during the summer–almost three times as many as 20 years ago. Educational expectations have changed, and while some of these teens are trying to catch up, some are actually trying to get ahead. Other teens are volunteering or pursuing unpaid internships. These activities may be required for scholarships or by their schools, and many parents and college counselors perceive them as increasingly important to future success.
Many Who Want Work Can’t Get It
But many teens are not unemployed by choice. Federal funding for summer job programs has decreased, and teens are facing more competition from older workers, even for low-paid jobs. The recent recession also hit many young workers hard.
While some teens will surely continue to pursue other options, summer employment offers crucial job training and financial benefits for many. Continued economic recovery may be the key to ensuring that young people who seek summer work are able to find it.
(Photo credit: summer jobs by a loves dc. CC BY 2.0.)
References:
Morisi, T. L. (2010). The early 2000s: A period of declining teen summer employment rates. Retrieved from http://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2010/05/art2full.pdf
Hall, K. G. (2013). Teen employment hits record lows, suggesting lost generation. Retrieved from http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2013/08/29/200769/teen-employment-hits-record-lows.html
(Originally published in a slightly different form as: Church, C. (2011). Number of teens with summer jobs declining. [Radio broadcast episode]. Family Album Radio. Gainesville, FL: University of Florida.)
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