The rise and fall of Teen Jobs

TL;DR

Overall Summary: Teen summer employment dropped from 72% in 1978 to under 35% today due to competition from seniors and immigrants, automation, restrictive labor laws, and cultural shifts toward college prep over work experience.

Key Points

• 1.Seniors took the jobs: Workers over 65 doubled from 11% to 19% of the workforce—employers prefer them because they're reliable, available, and don't have school conflicts
• 2.Immigrants outcompeted teens: A 10% increase in immigrant labor hits teen employment 3x harder than adult employment, taking year-round entry-level jobs
• 3.Automation killed cashier roles: Self-checkout and overseas remote workers are eliminating the retail jobs that were once teen staples—88% of cashier jobs projected to disappear
• 4.Parents prioritized college prep over work: Summer enrichment programs jumped from 10% to nearly 50% of teens since 1985, despite college admissions officers actually preferring work experience
• 5.Teens stopped wanting jobs: Only 8.8% of non-working teens wanted jobs by 2014 (down from 20%), driven by helicopter parenting, 7+ hours daily screen time, and comfortable homes