ST. LOUIS, MO (KMOX) - The St. Louis Agency on Training and Employment (SLATE) reports double the numbers of teens employed this year. SLATE advisor Juanita Jones says young people often have more flexibility.
"In many cases, these young adults are able to get opportunities that have been vacated by some of the working poor and who are so conflicted at this time with child care or elder care," she says.
Program Director Laura Klaus says teenagers and young adults are finding work in a variety of areas.
"Some are in offices, some are doing warehouse types of works, stores, laboring types of jobs," Klaus says. "And definitely looking at $15/hour in many cases."
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The agency says they've also seen an increase in the number of young people interested in their certified nursing assistant programs since the pandemic.
"I think the pandemic may have helped some of them be a little more sober-minded about the future," says Jones. "I am accustomed to seeing people who have been working in the industry as a home health aide or something and now need certification, but this year I am seeing a lot of young people right out of high school who want to start a health care career."
Recent federal data reveals the teenage unemployment rate is at its lowest level since the 1950's.
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