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Summer Slump

AIR DATE: Thursday, June 5th 2008
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How are young job-hunters affecting overall employment in Oregon?

Everyone remembers their first job. Maybe you worked summers waiting tables or picking berries in order to earn money for college. Maybe you got straight on the path to a career at a young age. My first job was at a kiosk in the mall, selling leather wallets during the Christmas rush.

As high schools shut down for the summer, some teenagers are entering the work force for the first time. There's not nearly as many employed kids today as there were in 1978 when 72 percent of people between the ages of 16 and 19 had jobs. That number has been steadily dropping ever since and last year it was down to about 35 percent. The current economic slowdown means this probably won't be the year that bucks the downward trend in teenage employment.

Are you a young person looking for a job? What kind of work are you hoping to find? Are you a parent of a teenager? What are you doing to help them find work for the summer? Are you an unemployed adult? How do you see teenage job hunters impacting your chosen field?

GUESTS:

  • Art Ayre: State Employment Economist, Oregon Employment Department
  • Alan Liesse: 18-year-old Halsey resident looking for a job
  • Hilary Langley: 18-year-old Starbucks barista
  • M.G. Deveraux: Park manager for Tryon Creek and Milo McIver state parks

Photo credit: bjmmcray / Flickr / Creative Commons

Tagged as: jobs · teen

Dear think out loud,
I am a young woman looking for a summer job. As a result of my families business it is likely that can easily get a job in a coffee shop. Other teens my age may have trouble finding a job in this area because children in this interest group do not usually have the nessisary experence.
madelinehope —
i'm 13, and i cant get a job anywere because of age. but i cant wait until i can work, wich will probably be next summer becasue i'm a late sumer birthday-type person. but i'm not even sure where i'll start. it seems like you have to have experince for everything. but i dont want to work at some McDonalds or anything. so where is a teen suposed to start, becasue if you need expericent for the dreem summer job, you'll probably need experince for the job leading up to that and so forth.
and what with the economy contribution: i dont get it. if the ecomy was going down, wouldnt there be more people looking for jobs?
cobaltcow —
I'm glad to see some of our younger listeners chiming in on this thread. Please, keep it coming! You're right, cobaltcow, more people are looking for jobs as the economic situation gets more and more gloomy, which means jobs are harder to come by. But why do you think there is there a decline in youth employment?
Julie Sabatier —
I own and run a busy restaurant and in the past two years have become disillusioned with the work ethic of todays youth. I would much rather hire workers over 40 than under 20. Somewhere along the line we as parents have not ingrained in our children the same work ethics as the generation had before them.
ChefDave —
This is a bigger problem than I think a lot of people are willing to admit. Many families don't make their children do chores around the house or make them have any responsibility. This practice does not translate well into the workforce -- many teens don't value the money they earn if they're used to just getting all the money they need from parents.
ORSunshine —
I completely understand what you are saying. I have 3 of my own boys who are 21,18 and 13. Even with the work ethic we have always instilled in them they seem to be lazy because other parents pay for so much. They argue that we should help them with gas, entertainment etc. because their friends don't have to pay for those things. What is the deal. I don't get it?
smeebecky —
This is such an important topic to be discussing. I have two teenage children, 14 and 16, and I'm glad that they are both keen to get summer jobs, but of course frustrated by the age limits that we have now put on teens working. My wife remembers being picked up from school by the Farm bus and spending June afternoons picking Strawberries.

But the good news I see is that my kids have developed great work ethic from volunteer opportunities in town. For example, the Oregon Zoo teen volunteers program is absolutely wonderful - they had to apply in a very meaningful interview process, they get training before they start, are proud of their T-shirt uniforms, and take great responsibility on being on time.

Part of this responsibility is that they take public transit to go to 'work'. (I try to honor their activity by asking them how their day at work was). I think we tend too often as parents these days to 'helicopter' our kids to events and then wonder why they are not self-motivated.

So bottom line I think part of our role as parents is to support our teens developing real work skills and self-motivation through whatever is available in town, whether babysitting, weeding neighbours yards, volunteering, etc. And respecting our kids that given the chance many of them really do want to work.
Oregon1 —
In case you have questions about labor laws for summer jobs, you can find a lot of information here.
David Miller —
I am trying to help my 14 year old nephew find a job in Vancouver. I have realized that it is a lot harder to find work specific to his age and geographic boundaries (must be within walking distance of Westfield Mall). What tips can you give for him and others in his similar situation?
JustinBE —
In the Eugene area, young teens can get work experience through the Youth Works program at the local nonprofit, Northwest Youth Corps. There are also opportunities on trail crews for teens 16+. My step-sister participated in the trail crew programs and found it to be a great experience and most of her coworkers who were interested in signing up really enjoyed it too (those whose parents decided that it would be a good idea may have had a less-enjoyable experience).
ORSunshine —
I hear the pain of those looking for a job whether a teen or adult. I have survived three rounds of layoffs here at the city of bend over the past year and now many of my friend and coworkers who did get laid off are wondering what they are going to do next. With the economic slowdown, it would seem a very challenging to find a job at a living wage.
jeff nelson —
My first job was to work for a month as my dad's secretary, while his regular secretary was on vacation.

I am now in my mid-thirties, and I'm a trained professional.

A little off topic, but, unfortunately, I don't necessarily like what I'm doing. Or, a better way to put it, I don't like doing as much of it as I have to do. It seems to me that our culture is very focused on "professional" workers working a minimum of 40 hours per week (if you're lucky). I am something of a Jack-of-All-Trades, and I like doing many different things. If I could have my ideal career, I'd split my time between two to four different "professional" careers. Again, unfortunately, the culture we live in doesn't seem to take you seriously if you aren't "full time" in a professional field.
SnowyRiver —
My first REAL job was the United States Navy. What did I learn? To be early is to be on time, To be on time is to be late, TOP BE LATE IS UNACCEPTABLE. Why do so many people, young and old alike, have such a problem being on time?
gkhamlet@clearwire.net —
Dear Think out loud,
I am an employer for a summer camp program in Beaverton. When I posted an ad, I got some 30 responses within one week. It was rather overwhelming. So there is so much interest out there for one job.
I feel that people are underestimating the value of volunteer experience. That is how I enter the work force at ages 13-15. If you need work experience due to competition, then that is a great way to get your foot in the door. It gets you noticed in a field you would like to go into.
caseybetcher —
At 13 I began volunteering, by 15 I had no problem finding a job. There are many volunteer programs available to youth and they provide the perfect experience.
emiles —
i am a junior in college currently, and i have been very worried about finding a job in my field. This summer i decided i would start networking and trying to find an internship in web/graphic design. It took me from March until about 3 weeks ago when i got the job i am at now. I ended up actually getting offered two really great jobs, and was able to choose between them based on their pay scale. I had been very worried initially because there are so many people (including adults) out of the job now, but i guess i just got lucky.
annnie —
As a restaurant owner in a small tourist town (Left Coast Siesta in Manzanita) I am very dependent on high-school age workers. Every year we start to panic around Spring Break, worrying that we are going to fall short of employees for the summer, but it usually works out. We have also been extremely lucky over the 15 years we have been in business to have always had a very good group of kids working for us!

Also, I personally feel that everyone should be required to work in the food service industry at least once in their lives. It gives you a much greater respect for people, both the server and the customer.
capsicum —
Working abroad
I am a mother of two young people working in Japan and Austratial
The min wage in Austratial is $17.50 -yes at Mc Donalds- plus healthcare and mass transit
The cost of living in comparable to here.
Japan's provides housing -healthcare-mass transit
Both are saving for college.
I know of a dozen kids here that are or thinking of leaving the country for these reasons
My kids have told me they can't afford to work here
Maybe be a subject for another show
cocreator —
My first job (at 14) was as a janitor for my dad's optometric practice. My best move, though, was getting my lifeguard certification at 15. I worked summers at the city pool in Klamath Falls, and at the YMCA during the school year. When I cam to Portland for college, I continued w/the Y, and also started w/Portland Parks & Rec. I worked for them (full time in summer, part time during the school year) all the way through college and up until I had my first son. I am encouraging my own kids (not quite old enough yet) to hone their swimming skills so they, too, can work for PP & R. You gain great customer service skills, teaching swimming lessons gives valuable experience working w/kids, as you move up, there are management opportunities that will translate well on a resume, too. Additionally, not only do you avoid the fast-food industry, you have the built-in cool factor. All this and you make decent money, too!
Thanks,
Carrie
karlcarrie —
I have some things to say about the work ethic of teenagers in my area. I have three boys ages 21, 18 and 13. Many of the parents in the Hood river area pay for way too much of their child's additional expenses. I believe teenagers need to have a part time job to pay for their own entertainment. We can't afford to pay for movies, all the gas and meals out with their friends. Many kids here are lazy and expect too much making my own sons argue that we should do the same. Is this common? It makes me crazy.
smeebecky —
Stick to your guns. The other parents are doing their children a disservice by not teaching them the value of money -- and the process of budgeting. When you just give your kids all the money they "want" (note: not NEED), they don't learn anything besides "Mommy and Daddy will take care of me." Then you end up with 30-year-old children who still can't take care of their bills...
ORSunshine —
Thanks for your comment. I can't tell you how many people I know who are trying to get an adult child out of their house and launched on to their own life. Drugs are a big issue for some of them. My 21 year old has had trouble finding his way and is now thinking of joining the Army. I am scared for him to do this but it may be the best thing.
smeebecky —

Comments are now closed.

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