Fading Opportunities: The Decline of Summer Jobs for American Teens

Since January, 16-year-old Ugenie Labranche has been on the hunt for a summer job. She believed her chances improved when she noticed a "hiring now" sign at a Dunkin’ in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania. However, upon calling recently, she was informed that the store was no longer hiring.

This scenario has repeated itself multiple times: hopeful signs, hopeful calls, and then disappointment when positions are suddenly unavailable. As a rising high school junior, Labranche has submitted applications to more than a dozen places but remains without a job, frequently receiving no responses.

“It’s frustrating because many teens my age want to work but just can’t find opportunities,” she expressed.

Across the nation, teenagers are facing one of the most challenging summer job markets in recent memory. Traditional seasonal roles in restaurants, amusement parks, pools, and retail are either halting new hires or favoring adult candidates over younger workers.

In May, the teenage unemployment rate increased to 13.4 percent, up from 13 percent in April and 12.4 percent a year earlier, according to government labor statistics.

A tighter labor market suggests that youth unemployment could climb to its highest point in over ten years. For context, in May 2015, the unemployment rate for teenagers reached 17.8 percent before steadily declining in the years that followed.