The youth unemployment rate hit 18.5% in July 2009, the highest level for that month since 1948, the Labor Department said Thursday. The youth unemployment rate, which covers people 16 to 24 years old, was down from 19.9% in June, but was the highest for the month of July since the Labor Department started tracking it. From April to July, the number of employed young people rose by 1.6 million to 19.3 million, according to Labor Department data that’s not seasonally adjusted because it’s meant to track the traditional increase in summer employment among young people. Last summer the number of young people grew by 1.9 million. The proportion of young people working, though, was 51.4%, another historic low for the month of July, which tends to be the peak for youth summer jobs. At its peak in 1989, that proportion was about 18 percentage points higher. Young workers tend to be some of the most vulnerable employees, so they’ve been hit particularly hard during this deep downturn. Summer is traditionally the season when they hit the market en masse, searching for their first jobs, internships, or seasonal employment. The worst recession in 70 years has made that pursuit extraordinarily tough, pushing even experienced workers to compete for low-wage jobs and parents to shell out thousands to buy their children coveted internship slots. Some, it appears, are fleeing the labor market entirely – at least for now. The labor force participation rate for the age group, meaning the proportion of young people working or looking for work, was 63% in July, 2.1 percentage points lower than last year. It’s the lowest July rate in more than 50 years.
T totally understand where thfrom is article is comming from. I lost my job of a year and a half in the begining of august, and have been looking for one ever since. The only problem is no where is hiring, or are waiting till season hits, which isnt for a few more months. The only reason I have the little money I do is from my unemployment checks.
ReplyDeleteThis article relates to me because i spent most of my summer job hunting. It gets very discouraging for young adults to be denied from every job you apply to because eventually you just want to give up. Many jobs now are given to a twenty year old rather than a 16/17 year old because they have more experience but how is someone ever going to get job experience if no one is hiring? Everyone has to start somewhere. As a senior leaving for college soon money is obviously an issue and it helps to have a job to save up for college. Many jobs are limited and are not hiring so many young people are left jobless. It doesn't surprise me that the proportion of young people working or looking for work is the lowest July rate in more that 50 years.
ReplyDeleteamanda restivo period 6 :)
This articles certainly hits home, as I am part of the youth that is yearning for a job. Since many parents have lost their jobs during this recession, it is inevitable that kids need extra cash. While normally students would look for and score a part time job a few times a week to earn the extra money, during this time it is not so simple. Students are competing with adults for the same job, and in many cases the laid off adult with the college degree and work experience is the more desirable candidate. I'm job searching right now, and the lack of positions open is outrageous. I'm all about working hard and saving money, but how can I do that if there's no money to be made and no opportunity to make it? I can't wait for the day when unemployment comes to a halt, the economy flourishes, and finding a job isn't impossible.
ReplyDeleteOver the past summer, I have applied for jobs all over the place, and I didnt get one. Thats why I can relate to this. Most places arent even hiring people now because there isnt much work to be done. And if they are hiring, all of the unemployed adults are competing with the younger people for the job. Of course, the place hiring would rather have an adult working there because of experience, so younger people are constantly being rejected from jobs. Unemployment is growing all over the nation because of this recession, and the younger generation will have to clean this mess up. Its gonna be much harder for us to deal with, especially because now we cant even find a job to save up money for the tough future.
ReplyDeleteI personally am very lucky to be employed. I understand this article completely, many of my friends are constantly searching for jobs and are coming up unsuccessful. Many places set high hiring ages which seems to deter and discourage many teens from working. Also, it seems as if companies are trying to hire people who would be full time workers and did not have a school schedule to work around. These factors contribute to high unemployment among teens.
ReplyDelete-Taylor Thornsbury per. 3
I agree in a time of need on my side of the world for making money is when economy falls the hardest since the last great depression. I also applied at a plethora of places and was denied multiple times, whether I truly wasn't qualified for the meticulously picked teams or that the actual need of employers was merely limited for budget cases. It's hard to still have to depend on my parent's wages, and having no job experience limits my learning skills for colleges to look at. Not only does the disadvantage put me in a melancholy quest for employment, it doesn't motivate me to apply and know that I will most like get denied.
ReplyDeleteI completely understand where this article is coming from. Though I am fortunate enough to have a job, i have witnessed the effects from the diminishing job market. Most of my friends are unemployed and do not have the experience to compete for a job. Now companies are requiring previous years of work experience to be accepted for, what used to be, teenage-level positions. The most unsettling fact,to me, is that now teens, somehow, have to find a way to raise money to attend college without the extra income boost that comes with a personal job.
ReplyDeleteChristopher Murry period 1
I am currently employed, but not somewhere I enjoy working at. I have been looking for another job for about 6 months now, and the trend in teen unemployment is becoming worse and worse. Businesses are now at strict budgets and cannot hire more employees. Most Businesses are setting age limits set away from teenagers. Due to these businesses budgets, they cannot afford to hire several part time students. Rather, they hire a few full time positions to save on time and money. Therefore, students come out with less job opportunity. The economy is pulling down businesses and they are falling into more and more of a budget cut which effects, not only teens but all employees around the country.
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