Teen Unemployment

Teenagers and summer jobs were once as much a part of America as the Fourth of July and fireworks. But interest in hiring teens during the summer months has waned in recent years, and lack of employment opportunities for young job seekers has only been exacerbated by the recession.

Despite signs of economic recovery, the employment picture for teenagers isn't getting any brighter. The latest research from global outplacement consultancy, Challenger, Gray & Christmas, based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), finds employment among 16- to 19-year-olds in June is down 29 percent from June 2009, with mid-summer job growth for this age group at its lowest level since 1951.

And no matter how you analyze the data, the situation doesn't look any better. May and June 2010 job-growth numbers, when combined, reflect a 38 percent drop compared to last year.

In commenting on the findings, John Challenger, chief executive officer of Challenger, Gray & Christmas, said this year could end up being the worst teen summer job market since the BLS started keeping records in 1948.

For more insight into the U.S. job market for young people, read my article, "Youth and Unemployment," at RecruitingTrends.com.