YOUTH EMPLOYMENT TRENDS Megan Helzerman, Clackamas ESD

National Data - An Alarming Picture

Youth Employment Rates Source: Sum, Khatiwada & Palma (2011) The Continued Collapse of the Nation’s Teen Summer Job Market: Who Worked in the Summer of 2011?, Center for Labor Market Studies

Changes in Employment Rate by Age Group

Source: Sum & McLoughlin (2010) Dire Straits for Many American Workers: The Economic Case for New Job Creation Strategies in 2010 for the Nation’s Teens and Young Adults (20-24)

Great Depression vs. Great Recession Source: Sum & McLoughlin (2010) Dire Straits for Many American Workers: The Economic Case for New Job Creation Strategies in 2010 for the Nation’s Teens and Young Adults (20-24)

Teen Employment Rate by Family Income Source: Sum, Khatiwada & Palma (2011) The Continued Collapse of the Nation’s Teen Summer Job Market: Who Worked in the Summer of 2011?, Center for Labor Market Studies

Teen Employment Rate Equals Teen Unemployment Rate In January 2011 Teen Employment Rate (E/P) = 25.7% Teen Unemployment Rate = 25.7% First time since the end of WWII that these two key numbers were equal. Source: Sum (20111), Ignore the Teen Employment Problem at Your Peril – Huffington Post

Ten States with the Highest Teen Employment Rates (June-July 2011) Source: Sum, Khatiwada & Palma (2011) The Continued Collapse of the Nation’s Teen Summer Job Market: Who Worked in the Summer of 2011?, Center for Labor Market Studies

Ten States with the Lowest Teen Employment Rates (June-July 2011) Source: Sum, Khatiwada & Palma (2011) The Continued Collapse of the Nation’s Teen Summer Job Market: Who Worked in the Summer of 2011?, Center for Labor Market Studies

Oregon Data – A Similar Story

Oregon unemployment rates demonstrate the same trend… Source: - Geographic Profile of Employment and Unemployment

Comparison of States Employment Participation Rate Source: - Geographic Profile of Employment and Unemployment

Comparison of States Unemployment Rate Source: - Geographic Profile of Employment and Unemployment

Youth and Young Adults were more severely impacted by the Recession Source:

So What Does it Take to Get a Job?

Minimum Education and Training Requirements vary widely by occupational group… Source:

In the labor market, it’s more appropriate to consider the competitive requirements… Source:

Two-thirds of high wage, high-demand jobs are projected to require a minimum of education/training beyond high school Source:

With competitive requirements for high wage, high demand jobs, 95% require some education beyond high school Source:

What can we do?

Recommendations…  Encourage youth to experience the workforce through any avenue…jobs, internships, training opportunities, volunteer opportunities, etc.  Reinforce the idea that youth will need education or training beyond high school in order to be competitive  Talk about it - Share this information with business leaders, community members, elected officials, etc. in order to develop creative solutions

Questions? Megan Helzerman Clackamas ESD