More Palos Verdes Teens Spur Summer Jobs For School

PALOS VERDES, CA — While it may have been a rite of passage for previous generations, but more and more teenagers are spurring summer jobs for more schooling, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Traditionally, July is the month with the highest teen employment participation rate because school is out of session, are many sports and extracurricular activities, but the number has been decreasing dramatically in recent years. In July 2016, for instance, the teen labor force participation rate was 43.2 percent, down almost 30 percentage points from the high point of 71.8 percent in July 1978 and 10 percentage points from a decade ago, according to the BLS.

While the report shows that close to half of teens are working during the summer, that number is significantly lower than previous generations. Several reasons have popped up to explain the decline in teen workforce participation, including more older workers working past retirement age to more low-skill immigrants taking jobs that would otherwise go to teens, to teens foregoing jobs because of the low pay.

The BLS data, however, paints a different story, more teens between the ages of 16 to 19 are taking enrichment and college classes during the summer. More than two in five teens are taking summer courses last year compared to one in 10 in 1985, according to the BLS.

The BLS data suggests that there are more academic pressures placed on teens now than in previous generations.

"High schoolers are taking tougher and more advanced courses, including those specifically designed for college preparation and credit—Advanced Placement (AP) courses," The BLS report said. "Dedicating more time to studies may leave less time for participation in the labor force."

According to the most recent data in the U.S. Digest of Education Statistics, close to 62 percent of high school graduates had completed at least four years of English classes, three years of math, science, and social science, and two years of a foreign language, compared to fewer than one in 10 in 1982.

While summer course may help better prepare teens academic, they are losing out of valuable life skills, such as money management, working with others and time management skills, according to the BLS.

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