As the COVID-19-induced labor shortage rages on, teens are in high demand for summer jobs and seasonal work. The U.S.’s employment rate hit a record low of 51.3%in April 2020, and despite the more than 372,000 jobs added in June 2022, businesses are struggling to keep their doors open.
High schoolers and college students out of class for the summer were expected to help cool off the job market, especially in service industries. That hasn’t necessarily been the case, as jobs are still readily available halfway through the summer.
“The summer jobs market is even stronger than it was before,” says Alicia Modestino, research director at the Dukakis Center for Urban and Regional Policy at Northeastern University. “I think it was a little bit surprising how well it has held up and how many opportunities there are out there for young people.”
