Report Says Job Doors Closing for Utah Youth

A new KIDS COUNT report released Monday reveals that only half of U.S. youth ages 16 to 24 held jobs
in 2011.

"Youth and Work: Restoring Teen and Young Adult Connections to Opportunity" raises concerns about
the profound consequences that youth face when they miss out on the foundation that comes from
working part-time starter jobs.

"More and more doors are closing for these young people," the report said. "Entry-level jobs at fast-food
restaurants and clothing stores that high school dropouts once could depend on to start their careers now
go to older workers with better experience and credentials."

Utahns were affected along with the rest of the nation, said Curt Stewart, public information officer for
the Utah Department of Workforce Services.

"During this recession, there were so many jobs lost that when jobs opened up — like fast food and parttime
jobs normally associated with first and second jobs for youth — they often went to adults," Stewart
said.

Utah fared better than some states, according to the report, with 35 percent of teens ages 16 to 19 having
jobs in 2011, as did 71 percent of young adults ages 20 to 24.


The report describes out-of-school and out-of-work youth as "disconnected," an unfortunate circumstance
exacerbated by low family incomes.

Stan Inman, director of career services at the University of Utah, said that college students generally have
better support and more options.

"Most of our students are employed. As high as 70 percent are working while they’re going to school,"
Inman said. "And there are really good opportunities in general for new graduates. They have a unique
place in the job market."

Inman emphasized the importance of students taking advantage of job fairs and internships, and then
becoming more selective as they approach the end of their course work.

However, many low-income and minority youth lack those opportunities and face additional struggles as
they approach adulthood. Some fail to finish high school.

According to the KIDS COUNT report, local and national conversations are taking place to address the
youth job crisis that hit Hispanics, blacks, males and low-income youth the hardest.

The report offers several recommendations, such as: 1) establishing a national youth employment strategy
that includes financial aid, funding and other accessible and flexible support services; 2) providing
incentives for businesses to hire young people; 3) aligning community resources and public and private
funders to create collaborative efforts to support youth; 4) exploring new ways to create jobs through
social enterprises such as Goodwill and microenterprises; and 5) encouraging employer-sponsored earn-and-learn programs that develop the types of employees they need.

Terry Haven, KIDS COUNT Director for the nonprofit Voices for Utah Children, said the report’s
recommendations are "spot on." The advocacy organization also prescribes a two-generation approach,
Haven added, because one fifth of disconnected youth already have at least one child.

Haven expressed optimism that Utah’s youth-work dilemma can be overcome.

Later this month, Voices for Utah Children will release its 2012 report detailing "The State of Working
Utah." Salt Lake Tribune


Related: Half of young Americans unemployed in 2011