Summer Unemployment for Teens is Lowest in Oklahoma

• Joe Wertz
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  Joe Wertz was a reporter and managing editor for StateImpact Oklahoma from 2011-2019. He reported on energy and environment issues for national NPR audiences and other national outlets. He previously worked as a managing editor, assistant editor and staff reporter at several major Oklahoma newspapers and studied journalism at the University of Central Oklahoma.

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Teens throughout the rest of the country are facing the worst summer jobs market since World War II, and more than 70 percent of 16 to 19 year olds were without a summer job in 2010 and 2011, reports The Oklahoman‘s Adam Kemp.

But Oklahoma is much better off than other states, boasting a 10 percent unemployment rate for those ages 16 to 19.

It’s the lowest percentage in the U.S., Kemp writes, citing a report from the Center for Labor Market Studies at Northeastern University.

But that doesn’t mean finding a summer job or the right employees is easy. Stillwater Municipal Pool manager Danny Williams would like to hire twice as many lifeguards, but is restricted because of limited city tax dollars, Kemp reports.

“I have so many people that come here so excited to work, but by the end of the summer they don’t even want to answer my calls because they are exhausted,” Williams said.