Blackboards wiped clean, overhead projectors stored safely in back closets, thin trails of dust forming on seats and desks—a long-awaited scene. School is out. But for many teens across the country, the hours of incessant toiling is far from over, even though those workbooks, study guides and numerous prep manuals—from AP history to chemistry—have been packed up for a long overdue rest.
Hours spent in the classroom are easily filled during the summer canvassing malls for those oh-so-sparse “We’re Hiring” signs that not too long ago flashed from just about every store window. Teens are finding it increasingly difficult to procure jobs as the state of the economy continues its dismal decline. Restaurants and retail outlets—formerly, teen central—are bypassing teen workers who get lost in the job shuffle. Many companies are closing the doors on teen employment, opting for older, more experienced men and women.
As the job market tightens, older workers who lose jobs elsewhere are downgrading employment, turning to lower-paying jobs at restaurants and retail stores and forcing out teen workers in the process. About 33 percent of teens 16-19 years old are expected to have jobs this summer—down from 45 percent in 2000, according to research by the Center for Labor Market Studies at Boston’s Northeastern University.
