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Teen Employment Rate Hits Biggest Low Since WWIILess than three out of every 10 teens will work summer jobsRelated Content
ANCHORAGE – While the summer jobs available to teens nationwide haven’t changed much over the generations, a historically low number of teens will pull a paycheck this year. According to the U.S Department of Labor, less than three out of every 10 teenagers will work a summer job – the lowest rates since World War II. Allie Evans, a student at South Anchorage High School, said the numbers surprised her. “You’d think teenagers would want to go out and spend their money,” she said from the front lawn of the South Anchorage home where she worked as a nanny. “How can they do that if they don’t have a job?” Evans’ work day began at 8:30 a.m. every Monday, and she said many other students she knew were hesitant to spend their summer vacations setting their alarm clocks that early. But Evans said she saw it as an inevitable next step. “That’s real life,” she said. For younger teenagers, workplace requirements sometimes presented another obstacle to pulling a summer paycheck. Kevin Vakalis, an umpire with Knik River Little League, said the league’s umpire program trained baseball enthusiasts to work games during the summer season. Most popular with kids and teenagers ages 12-16, Vakalis said the program taught invaluable skills like integrity, courage and work ethic. It was a trait lacking in many teens today, he said. “Kids feel entitled, that’s the problem today,” he said. “All the kids feel they deserve this or they’re owed that, and the reality is they need to learn to work for a living.” Vakalis, who volunteers to lead the program, said it sees 30-50 participants every summer. For some, like 13-year-old Forest Parish, it is the first job they ever have. Even after the season ends, the head umpire said the skills learned often open the doors to steady work throughout the rest of the year. Parish said despite its challenges, he was happy to be part of the shrinking number of teenagers punching the clock every summer. “It helps you all through life,” he said. |
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bootie said on Sunday, Jul 1 at 4:03 PM
Folks, if guys like Timmy want to be a street person, who are we to deny him his rights to be so?? In life, some kids mature, become adults and make money and live well...some never make that far and the are found some winter morning frozen to death and people will will write sad things about it. Its their choice!
95125776brats said on Tuesday, Jun 19 at 10:05 AM
look at Timmy, this is how kids are now days. spoiled brats spending mommy's money and driving mommy's car.
94079066cooljulie said on Sunday, Jun 17 at 10:29 PM
"Guess what Timmy only 60 more years of working left" The problem is, a kid this lazy/averse to work isn't worth hiring. I see them in retail jobs, a vacant expression of boredom on their faces. They are there to put in their time and that's it. I pity the employers who have to plod through so many worthless prospects to find a truly good employee anymore.
93956935guest said on Sunday, Jun 17 at 2:56 PM
Guess what Timmy only 60 more years of working left.Parents are to blame, stop buying everything for your kids. Stop giving them cars, money buying their clothes, doing their laundry etc etc etc.. I have raised three that worked starting in high school and beyond. But then they were raised by someone working two or more jobs at once. Be the example.
93934356Anonymous said on Saturday, Jun 16 at 11:50 PM
(continued) It seems every generation has wanted to make life better and easier for their kids than THEY had it. But now we've made it so easy that many kids have no concept of a work ethic. Hard work, whether as a ditch digger or a doctor, will make a man out of you Timmy. Maybe you have no interest in being a real man, but consider it seriously. As an additional note, I live in a very populated area. I put an ad on craigslist looking for a teenager to mow my lawn. The only one who responded wanted $20 an hour!!!! I stewed about it but finally said oh so what, it's only $20 and I don't have to bother with it. When it took him 2 hours to mow the same lawn I can cut in 30 minutes even when I'm tired after a long hard day at work, it was his first and last job for ME! Good luck kids- you're gonna need it. As to the article- there are LOTS of jobs for teens. It's just that they require- shhhhh! don't tell the kids-WORK.
93883836Anonymous said on Saturday, Jun 16 at 11:38 PM
Hey Timmy. I'm an adult in my late 40's and while I can't say I love my job every day, I enjoy working. I hope to never retire fully, and I work construction, in a very physically and mentally demanding job. It's sad you have no ambition, sadder still that part of my paycheck will probably go toward your inevitable welfare check. Nobody ever forced me to work, or had to either. I was choosing to work full time every summer during my school years from age 12 on. I used to wish we lived in town where there were lots of lawns to mow and rake. I rode my bike 12 miles to work on a farm cleaning stalls and feeding cows. Literally sh*tty work! While I appreciate your honest comment about how you feel, you are a pathetic example of your generation. Kids I went to school with COMPETED to see who could mow the most lawns, or pick the most strawberries, etc. My friend Dave had a new Camaro and $10,000 in the bank by age 19, and had gone from stocker to assistant manager at a supermarket.
93883446timmy said on Saturday, Jun 16 at 7:24 PM
I'm a kid myself and I hate working. Only reason us kids work is when we are forced to. Like if our parents, or the court system makes us. In my case both want me to. Working sucks.
93871166Homebuilder said on Saturday, Jun 16 at 6:39 PM
The democraps doesn't want someone to think for themself. They want to feed you, tell what to do, plan your life.
93868153guest said on Saturday, Jun 16 at 12:50 PM
Better to get a good work ethic while you are a teen. Sorry kids they arent going to pay you to play video games.
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