Meta Stange, 18, of Royal Oak serves ice cream at Dairy Deluxe in Birmingham, which offers seasonal jobs. (Robin Buckson / The Detroit News) From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20120516/BIZ/205160331#ixzz1wPo1QgNe
By Karl Henkel | The Detroit News
Michigan’s improving economy is expected to reduce the teen summer unemployment rate by more than 2 percentage points this year from a year ago, the state predicted Tuesday.
From June to August, 6,700 more teens will find work, lowering the teen jobless rate to 26.4 percent this year from 28.6 percent in summer 2011, the Michigan Department of Technology, Management & Budget said. The state forecasts 211,500 teens will find work this summer.
But the state warned that finding work during the summer remains tough.
“The teen summer labor market is highly competitive,” said Rick Waclawek, director of the Bureau of Labor Market Information and Strategic Initiatives. “Large numbers of teens enter the work force in a short time period seeking a limited number of summer job openings, and this summer may face additional competition from older workers. However, if teens start looking early and remain persistent, their chances of obtaining summer jobs can improve.”
Agriculture, amusement and recreation parks, department, grocery and retail stores, hotels and restaurants are among the top summer job industries, according to the report.
The estimated 26.4 percent teen summer unemployment rate would be the lowest since 2008, when 25.3 percent of Michigan teens could not find work.
Those who can’t find a job can still pursue the growing trend of summer internships.
Wendy Pittman, executive director at Intern in Michigan, said the company has listed nearly 800 postings for summer internships, roughly 70 percent of which are paid.
“It’s a great step to learning real world experience,” she said. “The learning curve will be lower and the success rate will be higher.”
Chicago-based outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc. said last month that it expects nationwide summer teen unemployment to fall, but to remain higher than pre-recession levels.
Michigan annually has a higher teen summer unemployment rate than the rest of the nation, according to statistics from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20120516/BIZ/205160331#ixzz1wPnbPj4h