Williston, Vermont - July 20, 2011
Andrew Gale is one of the lucky ones. The 18-year-old CVU high school graduate has a summer job at Chef's Corner in Williston. And it's a position he covets.
"I applied six months before I got the job and didn't get a call back until five months, so it's a long process," he said. "You can't be picky. Not now."
Nationwide, this is shaping up to be the worst summer on record for teens and summer jobs. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, only one out of every four teens is employed. And that holds true here in Vermont.
"I used to say you're going to hear five nos for every one yes, and now I'm saying you're probably going to hear no 10 times for every yes you're going to get," said Christine Sheldon of the Vermont Department of Labor.
Teen employment first took a turn for the worse about 10 years ago and it's never really bounced back. Most teens traditionally look to the retail sector for jobs at restaurants and stores, but with the economy down, summer jobs have suffered, too.
Traditional summer jobs like parks positions are also hard to come by. Many municipal budgets have been slashed.
Restaurants remain one of the bright spots. Forty percent of all restaurant workers are teenagers, but the competition is fierce.
"There's a waiting list. The kids love working here because it's a good atmosphere," said Chef Jozef Harrewyn of Chef's Corner.
Teens like Andrew's younger brother, Kyle, are at a huge disadvantage.
"Right now I'm willing to take anything," Kyle Gale said.
The 15-year-old has little work experience on his resume.
"There's nothing on it," he said. "It's just here's who I am. Here's where I live. Call me."
He's also younger than most other candidates-- and not necessarily just a couple of years younger.
"What's happening is a lot of unemployed adults are taking the typical teen jobs, so the teens getting the jobs are those who are stepping it up and know who the competition is," Sheldon said.
A big challenge with summer already winding down and the start of another school year just around the corner.
"I'm hopeful," Kyle Gale said. "I've got to stay positive."
Keagan Harsha - WCAX News
