Teenagers seeking work will probably find ample jobs with good pay available this summer, economists say.
The robust labor market this year, along with shortages of workers in the summer jobs that teenagers usually fill, like in hospitality and leisure, suggests good prospects, said Paul Harrington, a labor economist at Rhode Island College who is part of a team that produces an annual summer job forecast for teenagers.
Their analysis predicts that the share of 16- to 19-year-olds working this season will rise to 33.6 percent, from 32.7 percent last year.
The outlook is strong despite worries about a potential economic slowdown.
The labor market overall has proved resilient, with 339,000 jobs added in May even as the unemployment rate ticked up to 3.7 percent, from 3.4 percent in April.
Persons:
Paul Harrington
Organizations:
Rhode Island College