The Vanishing Summer Job: Teen Employment Hits a Post-War Low

This decline is particularly jarring because it is occurring in an economy currently free of recession. A convergence of pressures is squeezing young workers out of the market. Small businesses like restaurants and amusement parks are grappling with inflation and volatile energy costs, forcing them to tighten margins and reduce seasonal hiring. Simultaneously, older workers are remaining in the workforce longer, encroaching on roles traditionally held by students.

Automation is also fundamentally altering the landscape. Entry-level responsibilities that once served as a training ground for teenagers—such as order-taking and basic customer service—are increasingly being offloaded to artificial intelligence. The result is a hyper-competitive environment for the few positions that remain. In one instance, a Cape Cod ice cream shop was flooded with hundreds of applications for just 50 available openings, signaling a difficult summer for those seeking their first paycheck.