Teens Face Tough Summer Job Market

Teenagers all across the country prepare for school to let out and summer to begin. Many will opt to find summer jobs, but it may be harder than ever before. Some have already experienced a dwindling job market. “It’s really tough,” said College of the Desert student Chad Mellard. “I go from place to place handing out my resume and even online, and I’m not getting very many calls back or anything.”

Fellow College of the Desert student Ivory Washington shared the sentiment, “I’ve been filling out applications, not getting any returns. I’ve tried calling in, it’s just slow.”

Typically busy career centers are high schools are also seeing the shortage in summer jobs. “With the economy, there’s a lot of adults looking for jobs,” said Mary Cardinal, a career counselor at Palm Desert high school. “Those jobs that maybe those kids had, are being taken by older people.”

The economy is the main reason cited in a study by Northeastern University. The study shows a drop in employment rates for teens from 46 percent to 27 percent over the last ten years. It also predicts that only one-fourth of teens will get jobs this summer.

There is hope for teenagers in the desert. Knott’s Soak City water park in Palm Springs continues to look for summer employees, especially teens. “Probably about 90 percent of our staff is the young adults, right out of high school and even in high school, as well,” said Marketing Manager Brad Ouellette. “They love it here. It’s a fun atmosphere. I think that’s what attracts them to get a job here.”

Soak City plans to hire about one hundred more employees for this summer’s busy season.