Numbers indicate teens don’t want summer jobs
May 19, 2014, 5:37 PM | Updated: 5:37 pm
SALT LAKE CITY — Recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows an interesting trend among teens. Analysts are saying a growing number of teenagers don’t want to have a summer job.
Marketwatch.com recently reported that out of the 11.4 million teens that are not in the workforce only 8.3 percent wanted to get a job, which is dramatically higher from a generation ago.
How do Utah’s teens compare to the rest of the country? Nic Dunn with the Department of Workforce Services said teens in the Beehive State have been doing better than the national average.
“We’re usually about 10 percent higher than the nation when it comes to teen participation in the economy,” he said. “That trend has been consistent from 2006 all the way to 2013.”
There are several possible reasons for this downturn. The faulty economy of the previous decade could be one reason.
Dunn says teens dropped out of the labor force at a faster rate than other groups during the recession, but he added teens bounce back at a higher rate when the economy improves.
However, even if teens aren’t working doesn’t mean they’re lazy. MarketWatch cited analysts with Challenger, Gray and Christmas as saying a lot more teens are in summer school, and others are doing extracurricular activities to enhance their college applications.
Dunn said if teens do want to find work, the DWS doors are open.
“We have workshops and classes that offer training and tips on how to prepare for an interview and how to come in a presentable and professional way,” he said.
