Published June 14, 2023
Teens Take Fewest Positions in May Since 2010, But Working at Great Recession Levels
Employers hired 50,000 teens in May, according to non-seasonally adjusted data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the fewest jobs in May since 6,000 jobs were created in 2010. While teens took the fewest jobs in May in over a decade, 5,558,000 teens are working, the highest number of teenage workers for the month since 2008, when 5,660,000 teens were working, according to an analysis of BLS data from outplacement and executive and business coaching firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc.
It is the highest number of teen workers since last August, when 6,246,000 teens were employed. In April, US employers had 10.1 million job openings, according to the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey from the BLS. In Retail and Leisure and Hospitality, industries teenagers typically find jobs, there were a total of 2.4 million job openings.
Read the Teen Employment Summer 2023 Forecast.
“The jobs are there. Despite the potential for a recession on the horizon, inflation is easing and consumer spending has not fallen as much as some economists expected. Summer camps and community pools are up and running and need workers,” said Andrew Challenger, labor and workplace expert and Senior Vice President of Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc.
According to the BLS, 628,000 teens are unemployed, meaning they had searched for work at least once in the four weeks preceding the survey.
“This is a great time for teens who want jobs to actively look for work. Amusement parks, pools and beaches, grocery stores, summer camps, zoos and museums, childcare facilities all need workers and offer great first jobs for teens,” said Challenger.
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Contact Colleen Madden Blumenfeld for more data or to set up an interview with SVP Andy Challenger.
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