By Arth Pandya
Technician, N.C. State

(UWire)--The national teenage unemployment rate stands at 25.5 percent - a rate three times that of the adult employment rate. It is the highest level recorded ever since the Bureau of Labor started monitoring teen unemployment rate in 1948.   

Carol Schroeder, the director of the North Carolina State University Career Center, said over the past year, she has seen an alarming trend regarding teen employment.The national teenage unemployment rate stands at 25.5 percent

"The worse trend I've seen in the past year is that students aren't looking for jobs as they should.  Students are hoping things would eventually get better," Schroeder said. "In a tough job market, there are a lot of things you have to do, and it takes time. It's not like cramming for an exam."

Tough times have also caused many students to change their majors to a field of study with a higher rate of employment. 

Nicholas Perry, a freshman in First Year College, said the tough job market forced him to reconsider his previous career choice.  

"After speaking with my adviser, I found out the possibility of getting a job with a forestry major wasn't looking good in four years. I'm looking into environmental technologies right now."   

Job opportunities for teenagers are scarce, as they must now compete with recent college graduates who are unable to find jobs, all the way to stay-at home moms looking to bring a second income into the household.



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 More on the current teen job situation
Andrew M. Sum, an economics professor at Northeastern University, said that many college graduates are struggling to find jobs, and those who are employed are in jobs once previously held by teenagers. 

"Half of college graduates under age 25 are in jobs that do not require college degrees, the highest portion in at least 18 years," Sum said.

As a result, more and more teenagers across the nation are opting to focus on their academics, foregoing the job market until after graduation.  

Schroeder said students aren't looking for jobs because of the possibility of rejection. 
 
"Students want to stay in their comfort zone, as finding a job is uncertain," said Schroeder. "They don't work because they are anxious, and instead focus on their academics, foregoing the job process until after they graduate."

Schroeder, who first started helping high school dropouts find jobs, said that students should start as early as possible to prepare themselves for the job market.

"Once students graduate, they will never have the resources that they have now," said Scroeder. "From resume consultations, practice interviews, career fairs, and ePACK."

Seth Fankhauser, a freshman in animal science, said that waiting until his senior year or until after graduation might not be a good choice if he wants to find employment after college.

"Seeing that it's getting tougher to get a job, I need to start preparing now so I won't be without a job in four years," Fankhauser said.
 
With the job market looking dismal, and uncertainty of when it may recover, the best option -- and possibly the only option -- for America's next generation may be to start preparing and be persistent.  As times get tough, it may be time to get creative.