Chasing the (Invisible) Bag: Job Experiences Among Youths in Chicago
In the first installment of this three-part series, YR Media shares how youth and young adults in the Chicagoland area have fared in the job market, lessons learned and what resources exist for those looking to get gigs.
(Getty Images)
The youth unemployment rate, as of July 2024 stood at 9.8%, an increase from the 8.7% rate in July 2023. The rate usually fluctuates seasonally, with higher activity during the summer months when more young people enter the job market for summer employment or following graduation. By August 2024, the rate stood at 9.7%, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
During the school year, some teens and young adults get jobs at retail and grocery stores, fast food places and restaurants. However, the summer months can see a competitive field of youth seeking jobs, as college students enter the mix as well.
Luckily, a few teens throughout the Chicagoland area had some luck getting jobs. And some learned valuable lessons along the way.
“Trying to find a job as a teenager was hard. It took me almost a year, maybe a little more, to get one. A lot of people aren’t trying to hire people with limited, or no, experience. I’m now working at a fast food place and I feel like I have some financial independence. I’m able to buy some things on my end instead of having to ask my parents, and I’m also able to save some money so I can buy a car. Well, at least help pay for it,” said Chinyere Freeman, 17, of Blue Island, Illinois.
Peighton Williams of Chicago had a pleasant working employment experience and increased her social circle.
“My experience with my summer job was actually not as bad as I thought it would be. I didn’t really know what to expect, but it allowed me to have individual management skills and it was actually pretty fun. And it was cool to meet new people I can relate to,” said 15-year-old Williams.
Learning the art of adulting the light at the end of the tunnel for a high school student in Chicago.
“Working after school provides me with an opportunity to transition from being a full-time student to making an effort towards achieving my life goals. It offers me an insight into the real world and what it means to be responsible as I grow older,” said Madisyn Godbolt, 15.
On the flip side, having a summer, or after school, job isn’t the ideal option for some as it messes up the school-work balance some students grapple with.
“I thought work after school would benefit me, but it actually damages me more. Having to work after school not only takes away time to complete my homework, but it also mentally and physically drains me. When I have a large load of homework in one week, it’s harder to complete all of my necessary assignments due to the time consumption of work as well as loss of energy,” stressed 16-year-old Corey Collier Jr. of Chicago.
Youth unemployment may continue to be an issue in the Chicagoland area, especially for Black youth. A 2023 study by the University of Illinois at Chicago revealed that in 2021, 20 to 24-year-old Black people were jobless at a rate of 57% and increasing. White and Latino 20 to 24-year old’s in 2021 were jobless at a decreasing rate.
What makes these matters worse, is that these systemic issues are often linked to a rise in violence in areas that have a strong youth unemployment rate.
“A study done by the city (Chicago) in 2012, looked at about 1,300 kids who are in need some extra services,” explains Jack Wuest, who is the executive director for Alternative School Network in Chicago. “They worked seven weeks in the summer and the University Chicago tracked. Seventeen months later, their violent crime went down 40%.”
ASN has been working 50 years in Chicago to ensure equal educational and employment opportunities for Chicago’s. It’s one of multiple Midwest programs that looks into the systemic issues and how to combat them.
Wuest and ASN serves more than 4,000 Chicago students/young adults. The program has also directed funding to community based organizations that help the cities at risk youth.
“There are jobs everywhere, but kids need to have some experience where they’re successfully working in the neighborhoods, so they can go and work in these jobs in the private sector,” Wuest said. “There’s no national commitment right now, and it’s a disgrace.”
Another reason for the high rates of youth unemployment includes the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw many jobs get cut at historic rates.
Rashad Alexander is a Green Bay, Wisconsin-based journalist and an alumnus of Marquette University. He can be followed on Instagram and X @ruhshaaad.
Carleigh Lewis is a high school journalist in Chicago.
Edited by Nykeya Woods