MANHATTAN — If the job markets are crummy for adults and college graduates, they’re abysmal for teenagers. Because of the poor economy, teenagers aren’t going to have much luck in this summer’s job market. Jobs that might normally taken by teens are being done by adults and college graduates who are also desperate for jobs, said Kansas State Extension’s Elaine Johannes says a recent labor study by Northeastern University shows only about a quarter of those teenagers looking for work will find a job this summer. Teenagers may have to expect a short-term hit but plan for the long-run by volunteering or otherwise acquiring useful work skills around the family home, she said. Politicians and others, who have ignored or refused to devote money for summer jobs, are overlooking the social costs of a generation who hasn’t learned to work, she said. Besides work skills, summer jobs have helped teach teens how to be successful adults and the values of hard work, she said. Losing that bodes ill for society, she said.
