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L - ^3 - Profile of the Teenage Worker U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics October 1980 Bulletin 2039 Profile of the Teenage Worker U.S. Department of Labor Ray Marshall, Secretary Bureau of Labor Statistics Janet L. Norwood, Commissioner October 1980 Bulletin 2039 F o r sale by th e S u p erin ten d en t of D ocu m en ts. U .S. G overnm ent P r in tin g Office W ash in gton . D.C. 20402 This bulletin focuses on the labor market experience of 16- to 19-yearolds. Based on data from the Current Population Survey, the bulletin re views past trends and recent develop ments and explores the problems of youth unemployment and the transi tion from school to work. The bulletin was prepared by Diane N. Westcott, an economist in the Office of Current Employment Analysis. Unless specifically identified as copy right, material in this publication is in the public domain and may, with ap propriate credit, be reproduced with out permission. Preface Introduction....................................................................................................... j I. TRENDS OVER THREE D ECA D ES................................................. Table 1. Employment status of the teenage population (16- to 19-year-olds) by sex, race, and Hispanic origin. Selected years, 1950-79 ......................................................... 2 Chart 3 1. Teenage population, actual and projected. Selected years, 1950-90 ....................................................................... 5 2. Changes in teenage population, actual and projected, by race. 1950-90 ................................................ 6 Chart 3. Teenage civilian labor force. 1950-79 ............................... 6 Chart 4. Teenagers as a percent of the total civilian labor force, actual and projected. 1950-90 .................................... 7 5. Teenage civilian labor force participation rates. 1950-79 .................................................................................. 7 6. Teenage civilian labor force participation rates by sex and race. 1950-79 ........................................................... 8 7. Employment-population ratios of teenage men by race. 1954-79 ................................................................... 8 8. Teenage population by school enrollment, labor force status, and sex. October 1953-78 ............................. 9 Chart Chart Chart Chart Chart Chart Contents 9. Teenage unemployment rates. 1950-79 ............................... 10 Chart 10. Ratios of teenage to adult unemployment rates. 1950-79 .................................................................................. 10 Chart 11. Teenage unemployment rates by sex and race. 1954-79 .................................................................................. 11 Chart 12. Ratios of black and other teenage to white teenage unemployment rates. 1954-79 ................................. II. RECENT 12 DEVELOPMENTS ............................................................ 13 Table 2. Employment status of the teenage population by school enrollment, sex, race, and Hispanic origin. October 1978 ......................................................................... 15 Table 3. Employment status of persons 16-21 years old, by sex and race. April and July 1979 ............................... 15 Table 4. Employment status of the teenage population by area of residence, race, and Hispanic origin. 1979 annual averages ..................................................................... 16 Chart 13. Civilian labor force participation rates of teenagers by school enrollment status and race. October 1978 .......... 17 Chart 14. Teenage employment status by school enrollment. October 1978 ......................................................................... 18 Chart 15. Employed teenagers by occupation, school enrollment status, and sex. October 1978 ........................... 19 Chart 16. Employed teenagers by industry, school enrollment status, and sex. October 1978 ............................................ 20 Chart 17. Percent of teenage population with work experience during 1978, by race and s e x ................................................ 21 Chart 18. Employed teenagers by full- or part-time status, sex, annual averages...............................................22 and race. 1979 v Chart 19. Family status of teenagers. 1979 annual averages...............23 Chart 20. Teenage civilian labor force participation rates and unemployment rates by area of residence. 1979 annual averages .................................................................................... 24 Chart 21. Youth in the Armed Forces as a percent of total Armed Forces. Selected years, 1968-79 ................................ 25 Chart 22. Youth Armed Forces participation rates by race. Selected years, 1968-79 ......................................................... 26 III. THE NATURE OF YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT ........................... 27 Table 5. Probability of unemployment. 1979 annual averages .................................................................................... 30 Table 6. Persons with unemployment during 1978 by number of spells, age, sex, and r a c e ....................................30 Chart 23. Civilian labor force, unemployed, and unemploy ment rates of teenagers. 1979 annual averages......................29 Chart 24. Teenage unemployment rates by race and Hispanic origin. 1973-79 ..................................................................... 31 Chart 25. Unemployment rates of teenagers by school enroll ment status, sex, and race. October 1978 ........................... 32 Chart 26. Duration of teenage unemployment by race and Hispanic origin. 1979 annual averages.................................. 33 Chart 27. Unemployed persons by reason for unemployment, by age. 1979 annual averages................................................... 34 Chart 28. Labor force status of teenagers. 1979 annual averages .................................................................................... 35 Chart 29. Discouraged workers by age, sex, and race. 1979 annual averages................................................................36 IV. THE TRANSITION FROM SCHOOL TO W O R K ........................... 37 Table 7. Labor force participation and unemployment rates of persons 16-19 and 20-24 years old by educational attainment. March 1979 ....................................................... 39 Chart 30. Employed persons by occupation and age. 1979 annual averages............................................................... 40 Chart 31. Employed persons by industry and age. 1979 annual averages............................................................... 41 Chart 32. Median weekly earnings of those who usually work full time, by sex, race, and Hispanic origin. 1979 annual averages ........................................................................42 Profile of the Teenage Worker vii By most measures, teenagers have a difficult time in the labor force. Spe cifically, their unemployment rate is the highest of all the age groups, the types of jobs they hold have limited prospects, and their wages are low. Further, some teenagers face prob lems associated with the transition from school to work which typically is marked by intermittent employ ment. And, on average, those having the most difficult labor market expe riences as youth can be expected to have difficulties later on. There are, however, some mitigating factors regarding youth unemploy ment. Almost one-half of the unem ployed 16- to 19-year-olds are in school and seeking only part-time work, and most of them live with their parents. Two-thirds of the unem ployed teenagers are either looking for their first job or are looking for a new job after being out of the labor force. Unemployment for these teen agers is not unexpected; finding a job when one has never worked, or has been out of the labor market for a while, takes time. Finally, the duration of unemployment is shorter for teen agers, on average, than for adults.1 These broad statistics on teenage un employment, however, do not fully illuminate their problems. For many youths, unemployment is a temporary and minor problem associated with finding an afterschool job or the first full-time job. However, the share of total family income accounted for by teenagers can be significant in lowincome families. For some teenagers, a prolonged period of unemployment or a prolonged period of intermittent unemployment can result in a serious loss of income, and the loss or post ponement of opportunities to develop skills and work habits, though unfor tunately not much is known about the cumulative effects of periodic unem ployment on the later employment experience of individuals.2 Introduction It is evident from the statistics that the labor market experience of several groups of teenagers demands our at tention, particularly the experience of black youths and high school drop outs, both of whom have especially high unemployment rates. Black youth unemployment not only is very high, but, unlike unemployment among white youth, has shown an adverse long-term trend. Also, the labor force participation of young blacks has been falling. There is clearly a need to investigate the em ployment situation of teenagers and to focus specifically on those who bear the brunt of unemployment. 1 Paul Osterman, “Youth, Work, and Un employment,” Challenge, May-June 1978, pp. 65-69. 2 “Policy Options for the Teenage Unem ployment Problem,” Background Paper No. 13 (Congressional Budget Office, 1976). 1 I. Trends Over Three Decades The size of the Nation’s youth popu lation has changed dramatically over the last three decades (table 1). After falling in the early 1950’s, the number of youths jumped substan tially in the early 1960’s but the rate of growth declined somewhat in the early 1970’s. Projections through 1990 indicate that the teenage popu lation will decline, from 16.4 million in 1979 to 13.1 million by 1990. Population growth has been more rapid for black than for white youth over the last several decades, and projections for the next decade show a slower rate of decline for black youth. The teenage labor force is also pro jected to decline between 1979 and 1990, from 9.5 million to 7.6 million, with the completion of the entry into the labor force of the “baby boom” generation. Because of the teenage population decline, teenagers are ex pected to represent only 6.7 percent of the labor force by 1990, a signifi cantly smaller proportion than the 9.2 percent they accounted for in 1979. Labor force participation rates of 16to 19-year-olds dropped from 51.8 percent to 48.3 percent from 1950 to 1968; however, over the last decade, the teenage participation rate has risen steadily, to 58.1 percent in 1979, as the baby-boom generation entered the labor force with greater frequency than their counterparts be fore them. While the participation rates for white teenagers and female teenagers have risen continuously since the mid-1960’s, the participa tion rates of black youth have trended downward over this same period. The drop in labor force participation is particularly serious for young black men and is reflected in the deteriora tion of their employment-population ratio. The decline in this ratio has two important aspects: (1) A marked rise in the proportion of black men out of the labor force (which con trasts with a stable proportion for young white men) and (2) an increase in the proportion of black men in the labor force who are unemployed (which also has occurred among whites).3 This implies that the be havior of youth who are not in the labor force is critical to understanding the black youth employment problem; however, the question of why young black men (and to some degree women) are participating less in the labor market has yet to be answered. Rising school enrollment rates played a role in the decline of teenage labor force participation in the 1950’s and early 1960’s. One-half of all teen agers were in school in the early 1950’s; by the late 1960’s the propor tion rose to over two-thirds. While the school enrollment status of teen agers has remained constant over the last 10 years, there has been a marked trend toward widespread participation in the labor market by teenagers en rolled in school, particularly among young women. To date, teenage population growth has created considerable pressure on the supply side of the youth labor market. Indicative of this pressure has been the persistently high unem ployment rate for teenagers through out the 1960’s to the present. The jobless rate for teenagers increased from a comparatively low 7.6 percent in 1953 to 16 percent in 1979, reach ing a peak of 20 percent during the 1973-75 recession. The unemployment rate for teenagers is substantially higher than that for adult workers. The ratio of the rate of teenage to adult (25 years and over) unemployment has varied from 2.7 to 1 in 1954 to 5.5 to 1 in 1968 and 1969. This ratio remained fairly stable at about 3.3 throughout the 1950’s and into the early 1960’s. However, beginning in 1963 with the entry of the baby-boom population into the labor force, the teenage-adult unemployment rate ratio rose to a record high of 5.5 in the late 1960’s before an increase in adult unemploy ment through the 1970’s decreased the ratio to 4.1 in 1979. Black and other minority teenagers have experienced consistently higher unemployment rates than their white counterparts. The disparity was rela tively small in the mid-1950’s but in creased significantly thereafter. In 1954, the ratio of black and other minority teenage unemployment to white teenage unemployment was 1.4; this ratio increased through the late 1950’s and early 1960’s, reaching 2.4 in 1967. This ratio was not exceeded until after the 1973-75 recession, when the unemployment rate for white teenagers began declining while that for blacks and others did not. By 1978, the ratio had climbed to 2.6, with black and other and white teen age unemployment rates of 36.3 per cent and 13.9 percent, respectively. However, the unemployment rate for white teenagers was unchanged for 1979 while that for black teenagers declined slightly, causing the ratio to drop to 2.4. 3 R. B. Freeman, The Youth Labor Market Problem in the United States: A n Over view (Princeton, Princeton University Press, National Bureau of Economic Re search, May 1979). TABLE 1 Employment Status of the Teenage Population (16-19 year-olds) by Sex, Race, and Hispanic Origin. Selected Years, 1950-79.1 numbers in thousands Item 1950 1955 1965 1973 1979 8,145 4,216 51.8 3,703 513 12.2 3,929 8,364 4,092 48.9 3,642 450 11.0 4,272 12,930 5,910 45.7 5,036 874 14.8 7,020 15,743 8,465 53.8 7,237 1,226 14.5 7,283 16,379 9,512 58.1 7,984 1,528 16.1 6,867 3,963 2,504 63.2 2,186 318 12.7 1,459 4,022 2,369 58.9 2,095 274 11.6 1,653 6,318 3,397 53.8 2,918 479 14.1 2,921 7,801 4,665 59.8 4,018 647 13.9 3,136 8,155 5,031 61.7 4,236 795 15.8 3,124 4,181 1,712 40.9 1,517 195 11.4 2,469 4,342 1,723 39.7 1,547 176 10.2 2,619 6,612 2,513 38.0 2,118 395 15.7 4,099 7,942 3,798 47.8 3,219 579 15.2 4,145 8,224 4,481 54.5 3,748 733 16.4 3,743 (2) (2) (2) (2) (2) (2) (2) 7,292 3,598 49.3 3,225 373 10.4 3,696 11,319 5,267 46.5 4,562 705 13.4 6,052 13,480 7,553 56.0 6,602 951 12.6 5,929 13,841 8,475 61.2 7,295 1,181 13.9 5,366 (2) (2) (2) (2) (2) (2) (2) 1,071 495 46.2 418 77 15.6 576 1,069 645 40.1 474 171 26.5 964 2,263 909 40.2 634 275 30.3 1,354 2,539 1,036 40.8 689 347 33.5 1,503 (2) (2) (2) (2) (2) (2) (2) (2) (2) (2) (2) (2) (2) (2) (2) (2) (2) (2) (2) (2) (2) 855 401 46.9 321 79 19.8 454 1,061 535 50.4 433 102 19.1 526 Total Civilian noninstitutional population Percent of civilian labor force Participation rate Em ployed U nem ployed U nem ploym ent rate N ot in the labor force M en Civilian noninstitutional population Percent of civilian labor force Participation rate Em ployed U nem ployed U nem ploym ent rate N ot in the labor force W om en Civilian noninstitutional population Percent of civilian labor force Participation rate Em ployed U nem ployed U nem ploym ent rate N ot in the labor force W hite Civilian noninstitutional population Percent of civilian labor force Participation rate Em ployed U nem ployed U nem ploym ent rate N ot in the labor force B lack and other Civilian noninstitutional population Percent of civilian labor force P articipation rate Em ployed U nem ployed U nem ploym ent rate N ot in the labor force H ispanic Civilian noninstitutional population Percent of civilian labor force Participation rate Em ployed U nem ploym ent U nem ploym ent rate N ot in the labor force (1) 4 (2) 1955,1965, and 1973 were selected for comparison because they were years in which the overall unemployment rate was approximately the same. Not available. millions 18 r CHART 1 Teenage Population, Actual and Projected. Selected Years, 1950-90. CHART 2. index, 1950 population 100 Changes in Teenage Population, Actual and Projected, by Race.1 1950-90. Population growth has been more rapid for black than for white teen agers over the last several decades, and projections show a slower rate of decline for black youth through 1990. 'In 1950, the number of black youth includes a relatively small proportion of youth of other minority races. 1950 CHART 3. Teenage Civilian Labor Force. 1950-79. The teenage labor force has risen steadily since 1955. 6 1960 1970 1979 1980 1985 1990 CHART 4. Teenagers as a Percent of the Total Civilian Labor Force, Actual and Projected. 1950-90. Teenagers are expected to account for a significantly smaller proportion of the labor force in 1990 than they accounted for in 1979. 1950 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1979 1980 1985 1990 CHART 5. Teenage Civilian Labor Force Participation Rates. 1950-79. Over the last decade, the teenage participation rate has risen steadily. 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1979 7 CHART 6. Teenage Civilian Labor Force Participation Rates by Sex and Race. 1950-79. Participation rates of white teenagers and teenage women have risen continuously since the mid-1960’s, but the rate for black youth has trended downward. 1950 1954-79. The proportion of the black male teenage population that is employed has been declining; at the same time, the ratio for young white men has been rising. 1960 1965 1970 1975 1979 percent of population employed CHART 7. Employment-Population Ratios of Teenage Men by Race. 1955 100 90 80 70 60 W hite •• 50 i i * * f i * i i 40 Black 30 20 10 0 8 1950 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1979 Percent of teenagers enrolled in school Percent of teenagers in school who are in labor force Percent of teenagers not in school who are in labor force CHART 8. Teenage Population by School Enrollment, Labor Force Status, and Sex. October, 1953-78. There has been a marked trend toward labor market participation by teenagers enrolled in school, particularly among young women. 1953 58 63 68 73 78 53 58 63 68 73 78 53 58 63 68 73 78 9 CHART 9. Teenage Unemployment Rates. percent of labor force unemployed 24 1950-79. The jobless rate for teenagers has been persistently high since the 1960’s; it reached a peak of 20 percent during the 1973-75 recession. CHART 10. Ratios of Teenage to Adult Unemployment Rates. 1950 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1979 1950 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1979 ratio 6:1 1950-79. The teenage unemployment rate has been more than triple the rate for adult workers for most of the last 25 years. The disparity was especially great in the late 1960’s. 10 of civilian labor force unemployed CHART 11. 50 Teenage Unemployment Rates by Sex and Race. Men 1954-79. Black and other minority teenagers have experienced higher unemploy ment rates than their white counterparts. 40 B lack and other 30 _n U 1 oj 20 W hite P _P FhF-fc i_i hJ iT r11' L, I ' u u 10 0 54 59 64 69 74 79 1954 59 64 69 74 79 11 CHART 12. Ratios of Black and Other Teenage to White Teenage Unemployment Rates. 1954-79. The ratio of black and other minority teenage unemployment to white teenage unemployment increased through the late 1950’s and early 1960’s and again in the mid-to late 1970’s 12 Labor force participation no longer typically begins upon the completion of school. Increasingly, young people ease into the labor market by com bining work with school. During October 1978, about 67 percent of all teenagers 16 to 19 years old were enrolled in school. Of these, 44 per cent of the female students and 47 percent of the male students were in the labor force. However, while the participation rate for white students averaged 49 percent, that for black students was only about one-half this figure at 26 percent (table 2). For teenagers not enrolled in school, the pattern is vastly different—about 86 percent of the high school grad uates and 66 percent of the dropouts are in the labor force. As with stu dents, blacks not enrolled in school have considerably lower rates of par ticipation than their white counter parts. Not only are students less likely than out-of-school youth to be in the labor force, but, when they are working, the characteristics of their jobs, on aver age, are likely to be quite different because students are much more likely to work only part time. Slightly less than one-tenth of those teenagers en rolled in school work full time, com pared with about two-thirds of those in the labor force not attending school. When comparing occupational distri butions of students and nonstudents, it can be seen that students are more likely to be in service work and less likely to hold a blue-collar job than their counterparts who are out of school. There are also noticeable dif ferences in the industries in which teenagers are employed when school enrollment status is taken into ac count. For example, manufacturing accounts for about 30 percent of male nonstudent employment, com pared with 7 percent for male youth still in school. Among young women in school, 90 percent were employed in either wholesale and retail trade or service finance; about 70 percent Digitized for and FRASER of the out-of-school women had such employment. A significant aspect of the youth labor market is the summer influx of stu dents. Each summer, the 16- to 21year-old labor force expands sharply, as large numbers of youth search for summer jobs and high school and col lege graduates, many of whom were not in the labor force while attending school, enter the job market. Summer employment provides work experience —as well as income—for many stu dents who did not work while at school (54.3 percent) and provides continuing experience for student workers, and thus contributes to the adjustment of these youth in the adult labor market. During 1979, the number of 16- to 21-year-olds in the labor force in July, the peak month, was 3.6 million more than in April, an increase of 25 per cent. About 75 percent of all youths were in the labor force in the summer compared with about 60 percent in April (table 3). Traditionally, labor market activity is measured at a specific time, that is, in a single survey week for each month of the year. It is also possible, how ever, to obtain data on the work ex perience of a person over an entire calendar year. These data reveal that the proportion of youths with some work experience during the year is substantially higher than that for the average of all months of the year. In 1978, for example, approximately 10.8 million teenagers worked at some time during the year, compared with an average of only 8.0 million who were working at any given time. Like wise, the proportion of teenagers who worked or looked for work during 1978 was 66 percent, considerably higher than the monthly average of 58 percent. Clearly, these numbers reflect what we all know, that there is much greater participation in the sum mer than in the 9 school-year months. The percentage of the teenage pop ulation that worked in 1978 varied II. Recent Developments markedly by race and sex. White youth were much more likely than blacks to have worked during the year (70 percent versus 42 percent). And teenage men were more likely to have been employed during the year than their female counterparts. Teenage men are more likely than their female counterparts to work full time. During 1979 about three-fifths of the men but only half the women were on full-time schedules or were working part time because they could not find a full-time position. Teenagers also differ in their family status and consequent financial needs. For most teenagers, finding employ ment is not an economic necessity since almost three-fourths of all teen agers live in 2-parent families; only about 12 percent have no parental attachment. On the other hand, about one-half of all black teenagers reside in 1-parent families or are living apart from their parents; for these youth, finding a job can be crucially important. The area of residence of teenagers may also create variations in their labor force experience. More teen agers live in the suburbs (6.6 million in 1979) than in the central cities or nonmetropolitan areas (4.4 million and 5.3 million, respectively). In marked contrast to the total number, more than one-half of the 2.2 million black youth lived in the central cities in 1979, while less than one-fifth lived in the suburbs, and the balance, in nonmetropolitan areas (table 4). In each of these locations, however, teenagers constituted roughly 10 per cent of the overall labor force. Youth in the central cities exhibited some what lower participation in the labor force than those in suburban and non metropolitan areas, and correspond ingly higher unemployment rates. Most labor force statistics do not re flect the important role of the military services in providing jobs for young persons. (Current employment and unemployment statistics are based on the civilian labor force, which ex cludes the Armed Forces). During 1979, 6.3 percent of all blacks in the labor force were in the Armed Forces, more than double the percentage of all whites (2.7 percent) who went into the military services. Over 90 percent of the teenagers in the ser vices are male; however, this propor tion is expected to decline somewhat over the next several years as the Armed Forces continue to open up more opportunities for women. As of 1979, teenagers accounted for 14.5 percent of the total Armed Forces, while 20- to 24-year-olds made up another 39 percent. Black teenagers are somewhat more likely to be in the military services than their white counterparts; in 1979, the Armed Forces participation rate of black teens was 2.7 percent versus 1.6 percent for whites. In the past, white teenagers have had higher par ticipation rates in the Armed Forces than blacks, but beginning in 1973, the relationship has reversed and the gap has widened, largely as a result of the return to an all-volunteer army.4 4 Richard B. L. Cooper, “Youth Labor Markets and the Military,” Conference Re port on Youth Unemployment: Its Mea surement and Meaning (U.S. Department of Labor, 1978), pp. 215-48. TABLE 2 numbers in thousands S chool Enrollm ent and Em ploym ent Status Total M en W om en W hite Black H ispanic Enrolled in school Civilian labor force Participation rate Em ployed Unem ployed U nem ploym ent rate N ot in the labor force 11,084 5,066 45.7 4,289 775 15.3 6,018 5,658 2,670 47.2 2,245 425 15.9 2,988 5,426 2,396 44.2 2,044 350 14.6 3,030 9,296 4,576 49.2 3,970 604 13.2 4,720 1,558 408 26.2 256 151 37.0 1,150 595 242 40.7 197 45 18.6 353 N o t enrolled in school Civilian labor force Participation rate: Em ployed U nem ployed U nem ploym ent rate N ot in the labor force 5,353 4,200 78.5 3,545 653 15.5 1,153 2,514 2,228 88.6 1,912 315 14.1 286 2,839 1,972 69.5 1,634 339 17.2 867 4,610 3,729 80.9 3,231 498 13.4 881 667 425 62.8 283 142 33.4 252 394 278 70.6 225 54 19.4 116 Employment Status of the Teenage Population by School Enrollment, Sex, Race, and Hispanic Origin. October 1978. TABLE 3. n u m b er s in th o u s a n d s Sex and R ace E m ploym ent Status Total Civilian noninstitutional population Civilian labor force Participation rate Employed U nemployed U nem ploym ent rate N ot in the labor force 24,496 14,645 59.8 12,745 1,900 13.0 9,851 24,486 18,266 74.6 15,812 2,454 13.4 6,220 M en Civilian noninstitutional population Civilian labor force Participation rate Em ployed Unem ployed U nem ploym ent rate N ot in the labor force 12,078 7,763 64.3 6,779 985 12.7 43.5 12,081 9,885 81.8 8,612 1,273 12.9 2,196 W om en Civilian noninstitutional population Civilian labor force Participation rate Em ployed Unem ployed U nem ploym ent rate N ot in the labor force 12,418 6,882 55.4 5,966 916 13.3 5,536 12,405 8,381 67.6 7,201 1,181 14.1 4,024 W hite Civilian noninstitutional population Civilian labor force Participation rate Em ployed U nem ployed U nem ploym ent rate N ot in the labor force 20,785 12,942 62.3 11,524 1,418 11.0 7,842 20,764 16,007 77.1 14,187 1,820 11.4 4,757 B lack and other Civilian noninstitutional population Civilian labor force Participation rate Em ployed U nem ployed U nem ploym ent rate N ot in the labor force 3,712 1,703 45.9 1,221 482 28.3 2,009 3,722 2,259 60.7 1,625 634 28.1 1,463 A pril 1979 July 1979 Employment Status of Persons 16-21 Years Old by Sex and Race. April and July, 1979. TABLE 4. Employment Status of the Teenage Population by Area of Residence, Race, and Hispanic Origin. 1979 Annual Averages. numbers in thousands E m ploym ent Status, R ace, and H ispanic Origin Central City Suburbs N on m etropolitan A rea 4,413 2,358 53.4 1,889 469 19.9 2,055 6,642 4,080 61.4 3,499 581 14.2 2,562 5,323 3,073 57.7 2,595 477 15.5 2,250 3,058 1,833 59.9 1.562 271 14.8 1,225 6,085 3,834 63.0 3,321 513 13.4 2,251 4,698 2,809 59.8 2,411 398 14.2 1,889 1,237 470 38.0 283 189 40.2 766 439 189 43.1 128 61 32.3 250 545 226 41.5 153 74 32.7 319 486 225 46.3 180 46 20.4 260 370 203 54.9 166 37 18.2 167 184 100 53.8 82 18 18.2 85 Total Civilian noninstitutional population Civilian labor force Participation rate Em ployed U nem ployed U nem ploym ent rate N ot in the labor force W hite Civilian noninstitutional population Civilian labor force Participation rate Em ployed U nemployed U nem ploym ent rate N ot in the labor force Black Civilian noninstitutional population Civilian labor force Participation rate Em ployed U nem ployed U nem ploym ent rate N ot in the labor force H ispanic Civilian noninstitutional population Civilian labor force Participation rate Em ployed U nemployed U nem ploym ent rate N ot in the labor force 16 TABLE 2 numbers in thousands S chool Enrollm ent and Em ploym ent Status Total M en W om en W hite B lack H ispanic Enrolled in school Civilian labor force Participation rate Em ployed Unem ployed U nem ploym ent rate N ot in the labor force 11,084 5,066 45.7 4,289 775 15.3 6,018 5,658 2,670 47.2 2,245 425 15.9 2,988 5,426 2,396 44.2 2,044 350 14.6 3,030 9,296 4,576 49.2 3,970 604 13.2 4,720 1,558 408 26.2 256 151 37.0 1,150 595 242 40.7 197 45 18.6 353 N ot enrolled in school Civilian labor force Participation rate Em ployed Unem ployed U nem ploym ent rate N ot in the labor force 5,353 4,200 78.5 3,545 653 15.5 1,153 2,514 2,228 88.6 1,912 315 14.1 286 2,839 1,972 69.5 1,634 339 17.2 867 4,610 3,729 80.9 3,231 498 13.4 881 667 425 62.8 283 142 33.4 252 394 278 70.6 225 54 19.4 116 October 1978. TABLE 3. n u m b ers in th o u s a n d s Sex and Race E m ploym ent Status Total Civilian noninstitutional population Civilian labor force Participation rate Em ployed U nemployed U nem ploym ent rate N ot in the labor force 24,496 14,645 59.8 12,745 1,900 13.0 9,851 24,486 18,266 74.6 15,812 2,454 13.4 M en Civilian noninstitutional population Civilian labor force Participation rate Em ployed Unemployed U nem ploym ent rate N ot in the labor force 12,078 7,763 64.3 6,779 985 12.7 43.5 12,081 9,885 81.8 8,612 1,273 12.9 2,196 W om en Civilian noninstitutional populatiori Civilian labor force Participation rate Em ployed U nemployed U nem ploym ent rate N ot in the labor force 12,418 6,882 55.4 5,966 916 13.3 5,536 12,405 8,381 67.6 7,201 1,181 14.1 4,024 W hite Civilian noninstitutional populatiort Civilian labor force Participation rate Em ployed Unem ployed U nem ploym ent rate N ot in the labor force 20,785 12,942 62.3 11,524 1,418 20,764 16,007 77.1 14,187 1,820 11.4 4,757 Civilian noninstitutional populationi Civilian labor force Participation rate Em ployed Unem ployed U nem ploym ent rate N ot in the labor force 3,712 1,703 45.9 B lack and other Employment Status of the Teenage Population by School Enrollment, Sex, Race, and Hispanic Origin. A pril 1979 1 1 .0 7,842 1 ,2 2 1 482 28.3 2,009 July 1 979 6 ,2 2 0 3,722 2,259 60.7 1,625 634 28.1 1,463 Employment Status of Persons 16-21 Years Old by Sex and Race. April and July, 1979. TABLE 4. Employment Status of the Teenage Population by Area of Residence, Race, and Hispanic Origin. 1979 Annual Averages. numbers in thousands E m ploym ent Status, R ace, and H ispanic Origin Central City Suburbs N on m etropolitan Area 4,413 2,358 53.4 1,889 469 19.9 2,055 6,642 4,080 61.4 3,499 581 14.2 2,562 5,323 3,073 57.7 2,595 477 15.5 2,250 3,058 1,833 59.9 1,562 271 14.8 1,225 6,085 3,834 63.0 3,321 513 13.4 2,251 4,698 2,809 59.8 2,411 398 14.2 1,889 1,237 470 38.0 283 189 40.2 766 439 189 43.1 128 61 32.3 250 545 226 41.5 153 74 32.7 319 486 225 46.3 180 46 20.4 260 370 203 54.9 166 37 18.2 167 184 100 53.8 82 18 18.2 85 Total Civilian noninstitutional population Civilian labor force Participation rate Em ployed U nem ployed U nem ploym ent rate N ot in the labor force W hite Civilian noninstitutional population Civilian labor force Participation rate Employed Unem ployed U nem ploym ent rate N ot in the labor force B lack Civilian noninstitutional population Civilian labor force Participation rate Em ployed U nem ployed U nem ploym ent rate N ot in the labor force H ispanic Civilian noninstitutional population Civilian labor force Participation rate Em ployed Unem ployed U nem ploym ent rate N ot in the labor force 16 CHART 13 of population in labor force 90 Civilian Labor Force Participation Rates of Teenagers by School Enrollment Status and Race. October 1978. Whether they are in school or not, black teenagers have considerably lower rates of labor force participation than white teenagers. 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 White Black White Black 17 CHART 14. Teenage Employment Status by School Enrollment. October 1978. Among teenagers not enrolled in school, 86 percent of the high school graduates, but only 66 percent of the dropouts, were in the labor force in October 1978. 18 percent Enrolled in school N o t enrolled in school High school graduates High school dropouts [en I N ot enrolled Women Enrolled in school Not enrolled 100 W hitecollar 1 2 .4 % W hitecollar 4 6 .9 % W hitecollar 5 0 .6 % CHART 15. Employed Teenagers by Occupation, School Enrollment Status, and Sex. October 1978. Students are more likely to be in service work and less likely to hold a blue-collar job than teenagers who are out of school. 90 Bluecollar 7 2 .2 % 80 70 60 Bluecollar 7 .3 % 50 Bluecollar 2 1 .7 % Service 4 4 .2 % 40 30 - ■■ Service 2 6 .5 % : 20 Service 9 .9 % 10 g iiiip IB a : Farm 5 .5 % Farm 1 .6 % Farm 1.2 % 0 19 CHART 16. Employed Teenagers by Industry, School Enrollment Status, and Sex. percent 100 October 1978. The jobs of teenagers in school— both men and women— are concentrated in the trade sector; those out of school are more evenly dispersed throughout all industry sectors. Men Enrolled in school N ot enrolled Service and Finance 2 3 .6 % Service and Finance 1 3 .0 % Women Enrolled in school Not enrolled Service and Finance 3 8 .0 % Service an d Finance 3 3 .5 % 90 W holesale and R etail Trade 2 7 .0 % 80 70 W holesale and R etail Trade 5 2 .3 % 60 M anufac tu rin g 2 9 .2 % W holesale and R etail T rade 5 2 .0 % W holesale and R eta il Trade 37.1 % 50 40 30 20 A griculture 7 .4 % M anufac tu rin g 7 .3 % M anufac tu rin g 20 .2 % C onstruc tion 1 5 .7 % A griculture 8 .4 % 10 All other 8 .4 % 0 20 M anufac tu rin g 4 .2 % A ll other 7 .6 % A ll oth er 5 .8 % All other 9 .2 % CHART 17 percent 100 r Percent of Teenage Population with Work Experience during 1978 by Race and Sex. White youth are much more likely than blacks to have a job, and teenage men are more likely than women to have one. 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 White Black Men Women 21 CHART 18. Employed Teenagers by Full or Part-Time Status, Sex, and Race. percent 100 V oluntary p art-tim e 4 2 .0 % V oluntary p art-tim e 5 0 .6 % 1979 Annual Averages. Teenage men are more likely than teenage women to work full time. Also, more black than white teenagers must settle for a part-time position although they desire a full-time job. 80 60 P art-tim e fo r econom ic reasons 7 .8 % P art-tim e fo r econom ic reasons 8 .5 % Full-tim e 5 0 .2 % 40 F ull-tim e 4 0 .9 % 20 0 Men Women percent 100 V oluntary part-tim e 4 6 .3 % V oluntary p art-tim e 4 3 .4 % P art-tim e fo r econom ic reasons 7 .7 % P art-tim e fo r econom ic reasons 1 2 .9 % 80 60 40 F ull-tim e 4 6 .0 % F ull-tim e 4 3 .7 % 20 0 22 White Black and other CHART 19. All teenagers Family Status of Teenagers. 1979 Annual Averages. 1-parent fa m ilie s 1 6 .7 % N o p aren tal a ttach m en t 11 .8 % One-half of black teenagers, compared with about one-quarter of all teen agers, reside in 1-parent families or are living apart from their parents. 2-parent fa m ilies 7 1 .5 % Black teenagers 23 CHART 20. Teenage Civilian Labor Force Participation Rates and Unemployment Rates by Area of Residence. 1979 Annual Averages. Youth in the central cities exhibit somewhat lower participation in the labor force and higher unemployment rates than those in suburban and metropolitan areas. Central city Suburbs Nonmetropolitan area Central city Suburbs Non metropolitan area percent of Armed Forces 100 CHART 21. ( Youth in the Armed Forces as a Percent of Total Armed Forces. 16-19 years old 20-24 years old Selected Years, 1968-79. Teenagers accounted for 15 percent of the Armed Forces in 1979. 90 80 70 60 — 50 40 30 20 10 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 II II 1975 1979 25 CHART 22 16- to 19-year-olds percent Youth Armed Forces Participation Rates by Race. Selected Years, 1968-79. In the past, white teenagers have had a higher participation rate in the Armed Forces than blacks, but since 1973 the relationship has reversed. 1968 percent 26 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 20- to 24-year-olds 1975 1979 The incidence of unemployment is tra ditionally highest among the youngest members of the labor force (table 5). On the average in 1979, 1.5 million teenagers were unable to find jobs, and their unemployment rate of 16 percent was over four times that for persons 25 years and over. Teenagers accounted for about one-tenth of the Nation’s labor force in 1979 but over one-fourth of the unemployed. The high unemployment rates for youth are attributable to many fac tors, including lack of work experi ence, inadequate entry skills, lack of or inadequate job counseling, the in termittent attachment of students and other youth to the labor force, and, as noted earlier, the influx of the ma turing postwar baby-boom generation into the labor force causing additional competition for jobs. Also, part of youth unemployment is attributable to the fact that, in general, primary firms, basically those in the goods-producing industries, do not want to hire young workers under any circumstances. The source of this discrimination can probably be traced to the turn of the century when the combination of ex tended schooling and child labor re form removed youth from the emerg ing primary sector and into casual labor, a pattern that has been rein forced ever since.5 Black teenagers, in particular, expe rience very high jobless levels. The average number of unemployed black teenagers in 1979 was about 320,000, and their rate of unemployment, 36.5 percent, was only slightly lower than that reached at the bottom of the 1973-75 recession. While joblessness did not decline significantly among black youth, it did decline consider ably among white youth over the last 3 years, from 17.9 percent in 1975 at the deepest point of the recession to 13.9 percent during 1979. Hispanics, too, account for a dispro portionate share of the Nation’s un employed. During 1978, the jobless rate for 16- to 19-year-old Hispanics was 20.6 percent, well above the rate for their white counterparts, but still much lower than that for black teens. Hispanic youth, however, experienced some relief from the high unemploy ment that prevailed in the mid-1970’s, as their rate fell from 27.7 percent in 1975 to 19.1 percent in 1979. Among the Hispanic groups, Puerto Rican youth had the highest jobless rate in 1979, 27.8 percent, compared with 16.9 percent for workers of Mexican origin. The differential patterns in unemploy ment can be further examined by school enrollment status. A strong relationship exists between unemploy ment and dropping out of high school; the incidence of unemployment among teenage dropouts was 23.8 percent in October 1978, while for high school graduates, the rate was 11.5 percent, and for students, 15.3 percent. One of the major problems of school dropouts is that they become com mitted to the labor force before they are eligible for most career jobs. They often must compete with students for the “youth” jobs and lack the neces sary experience and expertise that comes with age to be eligible for career jobs. In many cases, high school dropouts remain permanently ineligible for a number of career jobs, as they lack the necessary educational credentials (i.e., high school diploma) to be hired. Some researchers feel th a t d ro p p in g o u t of school an d the often resulting unemployment is but a symptom of a youth’s basic limitations (family background, area of resi dence, living conditions, poor school performance, etc.), all of which hinder such persons in their search for em ployment.0 The area of residence al^o is signifi cant in analyzing teenage unemploy ment. White, black, and Hispanic youth who were central city residents had the most difficulty in obtaining jobs; employment opportunities were about the same for those living in either the suburban or nonmetropoli tan areas. Nevertheless, the unem ployment rate for black teenagers was III. The Nature of Youth Unemployment 28for FRASER Digitized more than twice that of their white peers and close to double that of Hispanic youth (table 4). In 1979, more than one-half the youth who experienced unemployment were unemployed no more than 4 weeks during the year, reflecting, in large part, the seasonal or intermittent na ture of labor force participation for many teenagers. For workers 25 years and older, only two-fifths had such a short duration of unemploy ment. There were noticeable differences in the duration of unemployment by race also; periods totaling 15 weeks or more were reported by about 17 per cent of the black youth, but only by 10 percent of the whites. Not surprisingly, most teenage unem ployment is associated with entry or reentry into the labor market. In 1979, about two-thirds of all unem ployed teenagers were new entrants or reentrants to the labor force. Roughly 40 percent had never worked before. While over one-half of all unemployed workers 25 years of age and over had lost their last job, about one-fifth of all teens had lost their job. Thus, much of the youth unemployment can be attributed to the job search effort associated with voluntary job turn over, interruptions in employment due to school and other activities, and initial labor market entry. In general, higher teenage unemployment rates result from the greater frequency of individual bouts of unemployment rather than the long duration of a single spell of unemployment. The incidence of unemployment among teenagers over an entire year —as distinguished from the incidence at each point in time—is also more severe than among adults, but the disparity is not as great. In 1978, over one-fourth of both the 16- to 19-year-olds and the 20- to 24-yearolds who were in the labor force dur ing the year had some periods of un employment; this compares to 12 percent among persons 25 years and over or about one-half that for youths. In comparison, the unemployment rate of teenagers at a single point in time is about four times that of adult work ers (table 6). While this report focuses on those teenagers who are in the labor force, a large number of young persons either are unable to work or choose not to work. During 1979, over twofifths of the teenagers were outside the labor force; most of these, about three-fourths, cited school attendance as their reason for nonparticipation. A small proportion of the teenagers not in the labor force express the de sire to work but, for a variety of per sonal or job-market-related reasons, are not seeking employment. One group of these individuals is of par ticular importance—those who want a job now but are not actively looking for work because they believe that no jobs are available (hence they cannot be classified as unemployed). This group we term “discouraged workers.” Teenagers constitute over 16 percent of all discouraged workers, a dispro portionate share when compared with their size in the labor force, about 10 percent. Teenage men account for a much larger proportion of discour aged men than teenage women do of all discouraged women; close to onefouth of all discouraged men were teenagers, while slightly over onetenth of discouraged women were that young. Also, black youth (16 to 24 years) were much more likely than white youth to become discour aged over job prospects. Teenagers, more than others in the population, move frequently from one labor force category to another (i.e., from employed to not in the labor force, from unemployed to employed, etc.). A recent study noted that between 60 and 70 percent of all teenagers who become employed were previously outside the labor force; it also found that most of the teenagers who leave employment leave the labor force rather than become unemployed. The evidence suggests the possibility that, for many teenagers, job search is a passive process in which the main activity is waiting for a job.7 This is supported by data that show that, for both black and white teenagers, approximately 70 percent reported that they spent no more than 10 hours per week engaged in job search. This suggests that many young people only enter the labor force when a job is presented.8 It is also likely that many jobs for youth are relatively easy to obtain— by virtue of their being fre quently vacated, having low wages, requiring marginal experience, etc.— that only limited search is necessary in the first place. 5 Osterman, “Youth, Work, and Unem ployment.” 6 Jerome Johnston and Jerald G. Bachman, The Transition from High School to Work: The W ork A ttitudes and Early Occupa tional Experiences of Young M en (U ni versity of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Institute for Social Research, 1973). 7 Kim B. Clark and Lawrence H. Sum mers, The D ynam ics of Y outh U nem ploy m ent (Princeton, Princeton University Press, National Bureau of Economic Re search, May 1979). 8 Norman Bowers, “Young and Marginal: An Overview of Data and Theory on Trends in Youth Employment,” M onthly Labor Review, Oct. 1979. Civilian labor force Age \ A ge 20-24 6 -1 9 \ 15 .3 , 9 .5 \m illio n / A ge 25 and over 78.1 m illion CHART 23. Civilian Labor Force, Unemployed, and Unemployment Rates of Teenagers. 1979 Annual Averages. Teenagers accounted for about onetenth of the Nation’s labor force in 1979, but over one-fourth of the unemployed. percent Unemployment rate 1 6 .1 % Age 16-19 9 .0 % 3 .9 % Age 20-24 Age 25 and over 29 TABLE 5. Probability o£ Unemployment. Your chances of being unemployed were about If you were . . . 1979 Annual Averages.1 14-15 years 16-19 years 16-17 years 18-19 years 20-24 years 25 years or over 1 in 1 in 1 in 1 in 1 in 1 in A ge 16-19 and: W hite Black Hispanic 1 in 7 1 in 3 1 in 5 A ge 16-19, and living in a: Central city Suburban area N onm etropolitan area Farm N onfarm 1 in 1 in 1 in 1 in 1 in High school graduate (n o colleg e) Black high school graduate (n o co lleg e) H igh school dropout Black high school dropout C ollege graduate Black college graduate 1 in 1 in 1 in 1 in 1 in 1 in Age: A ge 16-24, not in school, and a: 6V2 6 5V 2 7 11 251/2 5 7 6V2 16V^ 6 13 5 5 /2 3 1/2 16 6V2 1 School enrollment data are for October 1978. TABLE 6. Persons with Unemployment during 1978 by Number of Spells, Age, Sex, and Race. n u m b e r s in t h o u s a n d s Persons with Unemployment Age, Sex, and Race 16-19 20-24 25 and over M en 16-19 W om en 16-19 W hite 16-19 Black 16-19 30 Total working or looking for work during year Number Percent of total working or looking Percent with 2 or more spells of unemployment 11,319 17,347 83,693 3,089 4 ,5 4 8 10,101 27.3 26.2 12.1 30.9 30.6 27.2 5,968 5,352 1,656 1,434 27.7 26.8 33.6 27.9 10,032 1,116 2 ,528 510 25.2 45.7 31.4 2 8.4 CHART 24. of labor force unemployed 50 Teenage Unemployment Rates by Race and Hispanic Origin. 1973-79. The jobless rate of Hispanic teenagers has been well above the rate for their white counterparts but much lower than that for blacks. 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 W hite 10 5 0 1974 1973 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 31 CHART 25. percent of labor force unemployed Unemployment Rates of Teenagers by School Enrollment Status, Sex, and Race. Enrolled in school October 1978. The unemployment rate for teenage dropouts was double that for high school graduates not enrolled in school in October 1978. Digitized32for FRASER Total Men Women White Black Total Men Women White Black Total Men Women White Black White CHART 26. Duration of Teenage Unemployment by Race and Hispanic Origin. 1979 Annual Averages. More than one-half of all youth who experienced unemployment in 1979 were unemployed no more than 4 weeks during the year. Black and other Hispanic origin 33 CHART 27 Unemployed Persons by Reason for Unemployment, by Age. percent of unemployed 100 entrants 3 8 .5 % /V et® New en tran ts 9 .4 % R een tran ts 2 9 .4 % 1979 Annual Averages. Most teenage unemployment is associated with entry or reentry into the labor market. 34 New entrants 2 .5 % 90 R een tran ts 3 0 .3 % 80 70 Job leavers 1 4 .4 % 60 R een tran ts 2 9 .1 % Job losers 5 3 .8 % 50 W : Job losers 4 3 .2 % 40 30 Job leavers 1 7 .1 % Job leavers 1 1 .8 % 20 10 Age 16-19 Age 20-24 Age 25 and over CHART 28. Labor Force Status of Teenagers. 1979 Annual Averages. A large number of teenagers either are unable to work or choose not to work. During 1979, over two-fifths of the teenagers were outside the labor force. 35 CHART 29. percent Discouraged Workers by Age, Sex, and Race. 1979 Annual Averages. Teenagers, about 10 percent of the labor force, constituted 16 percent of the discouraged workers in 1979. 36 percent 100 Age 25 and over, 61.1 % Age 2 5 and over, 7 5 .5 % 80 60 40 Age 20-24, 1 5 .1 % 20 Age 16-19, 2 3 .7 % Age 2 0 -2 4 ,1 2 .5 % A ge 16-19, 1 2 .1 % Men Women t 100 Age 2 5 and over, 7 5 .0 % Age 2 5 and over, 5 8 .4 % 80 60 40 20 Age 16-24, 4 1 .6 % Age 16-24, 2 4 .9 % White Black and other The process of moving from school to work, i.e., from the youth job mar ket into the career job market, can be called the transition. The transition does not occur until the very late teens or early 20’s for most youth and often is difficult. There is a distinct connection between formal schooling and labor market activity. Generally, labor force par ticipation rates are higher and unem ployment rates are lower for persons with greater amounts of education. In March 1979, the proportion of teenagers working or seeking work ranged from a low of 38 percent among the population group with less than 8 years of school to 70 percent for those with 4 years of high school. (Most teenagers have not yet had a chance to finish college.) Likewise, unemployment rates were highest (30.9 percent) for persons who had 8 years or less of elementary school and lowest (4.7 percent) for those teenagers with some years of college. Among young persons age 20 to 24 years, there was a noticeable increase in participation and a corresponding decline in unemployment in every educational category, (table 7). The labor force status of youth, in conjunction with their school enroll ment, provides an indication of those most likely to incur problems in mak ing the school-to-work transition. A study by Johnston and Bachman9 found that extensive work experience during high school was associated with low levels of unemployment after graduation, while failure to work dur ing the high school years was asso ciated with high subsequent unem ployment rates. Also, using data from the National Longitudinal Surveys, which trace the labor market experi ence of a group of teenagers over time, researchers found that time spent out of school and out of the labor force represented a loss of ex perience that was associated with a clear earnings disadvantage later on. And, those who experienced unem ployment while in school could expect to earn less on average than those who were employed while in school or who were out of the labor force and de voting full time to school activities. The probability of being unemployed at a later date was much higher if the teenage period had been spent out of work and out of school. It appears then, that, on average, those having difficult labor market experiences as youths also have more difficulty later on. 10 IV. The Transition from School to Work The transition from school to work takes place gradually for most young persons, with school activity falling off and labor force participation in creasing with age. Jobs held during school tend to be part time and to require little skill or training. How ever, the nature of unemployment among young adults (20 to 24 years) appears more in line with that of workers 25 years and over than of teenagers. For example, in 1979, 28.5 percent of all teenagers were service workers, but the proportion decreased to 13.5 percent among young adults, much closer to the average for workers 25 years and over (11.5 percent). As teenagers mature, their earnings increase, especially if they are white or male. Weekly earnings of teen agers who usually worked full time averaged $143 in 1979, about 50 percent of the earnings of adult work ers. 25 years and over. The earnings differential between white and black workers and between male and female workers increases with age. For example, black and white teen agers both earned close to $140 per week in 1979; however, white adult earnings were double those of white teenagers at almost $280, while those of black adults were only one and one-half times the earnings of teenage blacks, at $217. Overall, there is less variation in weekly earnings between teenage workers than between adult workers. For the most part, by the time work ers are 25 years old, labor force par ticipation has risen, work is predomi nantly full time, and unemployment 37 rates have fallen. Thus, while the transition process can often be painful and in some cases never satisfactorily achieved, the majority of youth are able to make the transition success fully. e Johnston and Bachman, The Transition from High School to Work. 10 Arvil A. Adams and Garth L. Mangum, The Lingering Crisis of Y outh U nem ploy m ent (Kalamazoo, Mich., Upjohn Insti tute for Employment Research, 1978). Table 7. percent Years of School Com pleted and Age Men Total Participation Rate Women U nem ploym ent Rate Participation Rate 54.1 76.3 16.3 9.6 57.3 84.4 17.5 9.7 50.9 68.7 15.0 9.5 37.8 54.4 30.9 11.1 48.9 74.2 26.7 5.9 23.1 37.5 (1 ) 18.5 40.7 72.2 24.5 18.8 46.1 96.5 25 .0 10.6 32.7 44.9 22.5 49.1 68.0 19.3 20.6 52.6 89.8 20.3 18.7 45 .4 47.6 18.1 24 .0 70.1 83.1 12.2 9.4 74.7 94.4 12.6 9.1 66.3 73.4 11.8 9.7 51.5 68.4 4.7 7.2 51.1 69.0 5.7 8.4 51.9 67.7 4.3 6.0 (1 ) 85.5 (1 ) 4.0 (1 ) 84.2 (1 ) 4.0 (1 ) 86.6 (1 ) 4 .0 U nem ploym ent Rate Participation Rate U nem ploym ent Rate Total 16-19 20-24 Elementary School Less than 8 years 16-19 20-24 8 years 16-19 20-24 (1 ) High School 1-3 years 16-19 20-24 4 years 16-19 20-24 College 1-3 years 16-19 20-24 4 years or more 16-19 20-24 (1 ) Percent not shown where base is less than 75,000. Labor Force Participation and Unemployment Rates of Persons 16 to 19 and 20 to 24 Years Old by Educational Attainment. March 1979. percent CHART 30 Employed Persons by Occupation and Age. P rofessional and Technical 1979 Annual Averages. Teenagers are more likely to be in service occupations than older workers. M anagers and A dm in istrators Sales W orkers Clerical W orkers Craft and K in d red W orkers O peratives, ex cep t T ransport Transport E qu ipm en t O peratives Non farm Laborers P rivate H ousehold W orkers O ther Service W orkers Farm W orkers 40 Age 16-19 Age 20-24 Age 25 and over percent CHART 31 Employed Persons by Industry and Age. Public A d m inistration 1979 Annual Averages. Teenagers are much more concen trated in retail trade than older workers. Services Finance, Insurance and R eal E state 1 3 .7 R etail Trade 4.3 4 .0 7.6 5.9 9.1 W holesale T ra d e \ T ransportation and P ublic ' U tilities 9.8 2 .5 > 2 .7 14 .9 15.1 6 .7 M anufacturing / M ondurables 8 .4 M anufac turing D urables C onstruction M ining 6.5 wm 0 .0 5 Age 16-19 A 8.0 6.6 - 1.0 Age 20-24 1.0 Age 25 and over 41 CHART 32. median weekly earnings Median Weekly Earnings of Those Who Usually Work Full Time by Age, Sex, Race, and Hispanic Origin. 1979 Annual Averages. Teenagers who usually worked full time in 1979 averaged about 50 percent of the earnings of workers age 25 and over. 42 16-19 20-24 254All full-time workers 16-19 20-24 Men 25 + 16-19 20-24 Women 25 4- median weekly earnings CHART 3 2 .- continued. Bureau of Labor Statistics Regional Offices Region I 1603 JFK Federal Building Government Center Boston, Mass. 02203 Phone- (617) 223-6761 Region IV 1371 Peachtree Street, N.E. Atlanta, Ga. 30367 Phone: (404) 881-4418 Region V Region II Suite 3400 1515 Broadway New York, N Y. 10036 Phone: (212) 944-3121 Region III 3535 Market Street P.O. Box 13309 Philadelphia, Pa. 19101 Phone: (215) 596-1154 9th Floor Federal Office Building 230 S. Dearborn Street Chicago, III. 60604 Phone: (312) 353-1880 Region VI Second Floor 555 Griffin Square Building Dallas, Tex. 75202 Phone: (214) 767-6971 Regions VII and VIII 911 Walnut Street Kansas City, Mo. 64106 Phone: (816) 374-2481 Regions IX and X 450 Golden Gate Avenue Box 36017 San Francisco, Calif. 94102 Phone: (415) 556-4678
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