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Eager to work, teens find a frustrating summer job search
Eager to work, teens find a frustrating summer job search
Finding a summer job is proving harder for many American teens
NEW YORK --Jaelyn Chester will wait your tables or stock your shelves. She’ll wash your dishes or scrub your toilets. If only someone would give the 17-year-old a chance.
“I’ve been looking everywhere,” says Chester, an A+ student, high school basketball star and aspiring engineer who has blanketed her community with dozens of applications. “I’m not unemployed because I’m incompetent. I’m unemployed because nobody’s hiring.”
The summer job, a rite-of-passage for generations of American teenagers, isn’t so easy to come by.
About one-third of 16- to 19-year-olds in the U.S. were employed last summer, federal data show, down from a peak of about 60% in the late 1970s. Experts’ pessimistic forecasts are combining with reports from frustrated jobless young people around the country to form a seasonal outlook far from bathed in sunshine.
“The opportunities for workers at the start of the career ladder started to dry up,” says Nicole Bachaud, an economist for ZipRecruiter, saying teens are among the labor market's “most marginalized groups.”
Without a job, Cheste…
Eager to work, teens find a frustrating summer job search - AP News
Eager to work, teens find a frustrating summer job search - AP News
A sign advertises for help The Goldenrod, a popular restaurant and candy shop, Wednesday, June 1, 2022, in York Beach, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty, File)
High school students gather outside The Goldenrod, a popular restaurant and candy shop, Wednesday, June 1, 2022, in York Beach, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty, File)
NEW YORK (AP) — Jaelyn Chester will wait your tables or stock your shelves. She’ll wash your dishes or scrub your toilets. If only someone would give the 17-year-old a chance.
“I’ve been looking everywhere,” says Chester, an A+ student, high school basketball star and aspiring engineer who has blanketed her community with dozens of applications. “I’m not unemployed because I’m incompetent. I’m unemployed because nobody’s hiring.”
The summer job, a rite-of-passage for generations of American teenagers, isn’t so easy to come by.
About one-third of 16- to 19-year-olds in the U.S. were employed last summer, federal data show, down from a peak of about 60% in the late 1970s. Experts’ pessimistic forecasts are combining with reports from frustrated jobless young people around the country to f…
Eager to work, teens find a frustrating summer job search
Eager to work, teens find a frustrating summer job search
FILE – A sign advertises for help The Goldenrod, a popular restaurant and candy shop, Wednesday, June 1, 2022, in York Beach, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty, File)
By
Associated Press
PUBLISHED:
June 18, 2026 at 8:22 AM PDT
| UPDATED:
June 18, 2026 at 12:12 PM PDT
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By MATT SEDENSKY, AP National Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — Jaelyn Chester will wait your tables or stock your shelves. She’ll wash your dishes or scrub your toilets. If only someone would give the 17-year-old a chance.
“I’ve been looking everywhere,” says Chester, an A+ student, high school basketball star and aspiring engineer who has blanketed her community with dozens of applications. “I’m not unemployed because I’m incompetent. I’m unemployed because nobody’s hiring.”
The summer job, a rite-of-passage for generations of American teenagers, isn’t so easy to come by.
About one-third of 16- to 19-year-olds in the U.S. were employed last summer, federal data show, down from a peak of about 60% in the late 1970s. Experts’ pessimistic forecasts are combining with reports from frustrated jobless young people around the country …
Eager to work, teens find a frustrating summer job search - TribLIVE.com
Eager to work, teens find a frustrating summer job search - TribLIVE.com
NEW YORK — Jaelyn Chester will wait your tables or stock your shelves. She’ll wash your dishes or scrub your toilets. If only someone would give the 17-year-old a chance.
“I’ve been looking everywhere,” says Chester, an A+ student, high school basketball star and aspiring engineer who has blanketed her community with dozens of applications. “I’m not unemployed because I’m incompetent. I’m unemployed because nobody’s hiring.”
The summer job, a rite-of-passage for generations of American teenagers, isn’t so easy to come by.
About one-third of 16- to 19-year-olds in the U.S. were employed last summer, federal data show, down from a peak of about 60% in the late 1970s. Experts’ pessimistic forecasts are combining with reports from frustrated jobless young people around the country to form a seasonal outlook far from bathed in sunshine.
“The opportunities for workers at the start of the career ladder started to dry up,” says Nicole Bachaud, an economist for ZipRecruiter, saying teens are among the labor market’s “most marginalized groups.”
Without a job, Chester worries her summer will be ruined. She wonders …
Eager to work, teens find a frustrating summer job search - SRN News
Eager to work, teens find a frustrating summer job search - SRN News
Audio By Carbonatix
NEW YORK (AP) — Jaelyn Chester will wait your tables or stock your shelves. She’ll wash your dishes or scrub your toilets. If only someone would give the 17-year-old a chance.
“I’ve been looking everywhere,” says Chester, an A+ student, high school basketball star and aspiring engineer who has blanketed her community with dozens of applications. “I’m not unemployed because I’m incompetent. I’m unemployed because nobody’s hiring.”
The summer job, a rite-of-passage for generations of American teenagers, isn’t so easy to come by.
About one-third of 16- to 19-year-olds in the U.S. were employed last summer, federal data show, down from a peak of about 60% in the late 1970s. Experts’ pessimistic forecasts are combining with reports from frustrated jobless young people around the country to form a seasonal outlook far from bathed in sunshine.
“The opportunities for workers at the start of the career ladder started to dry up,” says Nicole Bachaud, an economist for ZipRecruiter, saying teens are among the labor market’s “most marginalized groups.”
Without a job, Chester worries her summer will b…
Eager to work, teens find a frustrating summer job search
Eager to work, teens find a frustrating summer job search
<p>NEW YORK — Jaelyn Chester will wait your tables or stock your shelves. She’ll wash your dishes or scrub your toilets. If only someone would give the 17-year-old a chance.</p>
Eager to work, teens find a frustrating summer job search
Eager to work, teens find a frustrating summer job search
FILE - A sign advertises for help The Goldenrod, a popular restaurant and candy shop, Wednesday, June 1, 2022, in York Beach, Maine.
Robert F. Bukaty/AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty
FILE - High school students gather outside The Goldenrod, a popular restaurant and candy shop, Wednesday, June 1, 2022, in York Beach, Maine.
Robert F. Bukaty/AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty
NEW YORK (AP) — Jaelyn Chester will wait your tables or stock your shelves. She’ll wash your dishes or scrub your toilets. If only someone would give the 17-year-old a chance.
“I’ve been looking everywhere,” says Chester, an A+ student, high school basketball star and aspiring engineer who has blanketed her community with dozens of applications. “I’m not unemployed because I’m incompetent. I’m unemployed because nobody’s hiring.”
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The summer job, a rite-of-passage for generations of American teenagers, isn’t so easy to come by.
About one-third of 16- to 19-year-olds in the U.S. were employed last summer, federal data show, down from a peak of about 60% in the late 1970s. Experts’ pessimistic forecasts are combining with repor…
Corroboration
No verdict, no pronouncement. The model extracts atomic factual claims with verbatim quotes; every quote is validated against the source text and corroboration is computed by counting how many editorially-opposed blocs assert each fact. 4 fabricated/unverifiable quotes were rejected by the cite-or-die gate.
The spine · 6 facts corroborated across ≥2 opposed blocs
1×broadly confirmedJaelyn Chester is a 17-year-old who has applied to dozens of jobs and is seeking employment as a server, shelf stocker, dishwasher, or cleaner.
other
abcnews.com“Jaelyn Chester will wait your tables or stock your shelves. She’ll wash your dishes or scrub your toilets. If only someone would give the 17-year-old a chance.”
apnews.com“Jaelyn Chester will wait your tables or stock your shelves. She’ll wash your dishes or scrub your toilets. If only someone would give the 17-year-old a chance.”
1×broadly confirmedJaelyn Chester says she is unemployed because nobody is hiring, not because she is incompetent.
other
abcnews.com““I’m not unemployed because I’m incompetent. I’m unemployed because nobody’s hiring.””
apnews.com““I’m not unemployed because I’m incompetent. I’m unemployed because nobody’s hiring.””
1×broadly confirmedAbout one-third of 16- to 19-year-olds in the U.S. were employed last summer, according to federal data.
other
abcnews.com“About one-third of 16- to 19-year-olds in the U.S. were employed last summer, federal data show,”
apnews.com“About one-third of 16- to 19-year-olds in the U.S. were employed last summer, federal data show,”
1×broadly confirmedThe employment rate for 16- to 19-year-olds in the U.S. peaked at about 60% in the late 1970s.
other
abcnews.com“down from a peak of about 60% in the late 1970s.”
apnews.com“down from a peak of about 60% in the late 1970s.”
1×cross-perspective · 2Challenger, Gray & Christmas reported that teenagers are expected to gain around 790,000 jobs in May, June, and July of 2026.
other
fortune.com“Teenagers will gain around 790,000 jobs in May, June, and July of this year—down 801,000 from 2025—according to a recent report from Challenger, Gray & Christmas.”
today.com“Teens are expected to take on 790,000 jobs between May and July, outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas reported.”
1×cross-perspective · 2Challenger, Gray & Christmas reported that the number of summer jobs for teens in 2026 would be the lowest since 1948, when the Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the data.
other
fortune.com“And if the prediction plays out in the coming months, it would mark the lowest summer of teen hiring since 1948, when the Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the data.”
today.com“That’s a dip of 11,000 jobs from last year and would mark the lowest summer hiring total for that age group since the Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the data in 1948.”
Contested · 1 — sources conflict; shown, not resolved
⚔ Incompatible numerical change: one source cites an 801,000 drop from 2025, another cites an 11,000 drop from 2025. Both reference the same report and year, making the figures mutually exclusive.
A other Challenger, Gray & Christmas reported that the number of summer jobs for teens in 2026 is down 801,000 from 2025.
B other Challenger, Gray & Christmas reported that the number of summer jobs for teens in 2026 is down 11,000 from 2025.
Single-source · 4 — reported by one bloc only (uncorroborated)
Nicole Bachaud, an economist for ZipRecruiter, said the opportunities for workers at the start of the career ladder started to dry up.
abcnews.com
Challenger, Gray & Christmas reported that the number of summer jobs for teens in 2026 is down 801,000 from 2025.
fortune.com
Challenger, Gray & Christmas reported that the number of summer jobs for teens in 2026 is down 11,000 from 2025.
today.com
The entertainment and leisure sector will have 70% fewer summer jobs for teens in 2026 than in summer 2025, according to Challenger, Gray & Christmas.
today.com
Framing · 5 — loaded language surfaced (spin shown, not adopted)
abcnews.com
“Experts’ pessimistic forecasts are combining with reports from frustrated jobless young people around the country to form a seasonal outlook far from bathed in sunshine.”
→ Experts and jobless teens are contributing to a negative seasonal outlook for teen employment.
fortune.com
“Summer jobs have been teenagers’ rite of passage for generations—from scooping ice cream and babysitting, to lifeguarding and bagging groceries. But as a hiring freeze has taken over the labor market, high schoolers are feeling the chill.”
→ Summer jobs have traditionally been common for teenagers, but hiring has declined.
fortune.com
“So far 2026 is shaping up to be the worst summer job market in nearly eight decades.”
→ The 2026 summer job market for teens is projected to be the weakest in nearly 80 years.
today.com
“Getting a job to make some extra cash is as much a part of the summer teen experience as cooling off in an air conditioned movie theater. But this year’s search for work has become a bit of a challenge.”
→ Summer employment has traditionally been a common teen activity, but this year’s job search is more difficult.
today.com
“We have a combination of inflation, but also an unexpected rise in gas prices”
→ Inflation and rising gas prices are cited as contributing factors to the teen job market challenges.