Pennsylvania Shows Slight Improvement In Numbers Of Teen Jobless
By Kim Glovas
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Unemployment figures for April 2012 show that teen jobless rates are up to almost 25 percent nationwide. But some states, like Pennsylvania, are showing better numbers.
The Employment Policies Institute broke down the unemployment figures and found that New Jersey's rate was over 26%, Pennsylvania's was 16.5% and Delaware was 19%. EPI's Michael Saltsman says despite a high number of unemployed teens, it's better than it was.
"Even though there is some improvement, and I think teens are going to have an easier time than last summer or the summer before that, they're still facing a lot of competition for what is, realistically, fewer jobs than there used to be," Saltsman says.
He also say that ten years ago, there were a lot more jobs in retail and restaurants billed as starter jobs, like bussing tables or stocking shelves, and they don't exist anymore. And another factor is that more skilled adult workers are competing for those same jobs.
