Time For Work: Teenager employment has gone up to 37% after a 14-year decline

After four years of historically low unemployment rates, Gen Z is rejoining the workforce, with the teenage employment rate up to a 14-year high of 37% in the U.S. according to the Bureau of Labor.

When the pandemic hit in 2020, much of the world shut down. Employment rates for ages ranging from 16 to 19 fell, and teenagers hit an all-time low of 21%. Businesses shut down, commercial consumption dropped 20% and the world was at a standstill.

But the businesses eventually opened back up shortly after the peak of the pandemic was declared to be over —  March 2021 — and product consumption rose to 30%. Shop owners were desperately in need of workers to fill those roles.

“Most of our employees had quit and we weren’t busy during the pandemic,” local business owner Nick Alberts said, “It was so sudden, we just had a whole sea of customers come in, so we had to hire five new employees, four of which were teenagers.”

The demand by employers for retail positions continues to rise and is predicted to increase according to the Bureau of Labor.

Working is a great way to not only get money but also have something productive to do outside of school according to junior Gabe Anderson.  He looks forward to going to work and becoming friends with his fellow employees.

“I enjoy the work.” Anderson said, “Being able to talk to all the customers,  I’m an extrovert, so I like talking to everybody and taking orders.”

Though it’s rewarding,  working as a teenager can be challenging when balancing work along with other activities. according to Anna Cicero. It is hard to find availability — especially while playing sports, participating in extracurriculars and coursework. 

“I have to check days I have tests, labs, or practice, and then block out those days each week.” Cicero said, “I try to make it easy for myself to have time to study, so during the school year I’ve noticed that I’m just working mainly on the weekends.”

Both Cicero and Anderson agree that it’s manageable, it just takes effort in order to make a schedule that aligns with all of their other commitments.

The increase in teenage employment is helping the economy by allowing many local shops to fill basic roles according to the Committee of COVID-19 Rebuilding, and working as a teenager gives valuable experience that you will be able to take with you later in life, according to Cicero.