The Job for America Is More Jobs for Youths : Washington fiddles, but private sector tries to fill some gaps

Not so long ago, the start of summer traditionally marked the beginning of a profitable, or at least rewarding, season for high school and college students alike. But in recent years millions of young people have been denied summer employment, victims of both a cruel recession and federal and state budget cuts. Now the story is even worse.

At a time when big cities like Los Angeles are in their hour of greatest need, Congress is in the final stages of eviscerating--and President Clinton is in the final stages of abandoning--an ambitious program that would have provided generous federal funding for tens of thousands of summer jobs, many of which would have been filled by the nation’s most disadvantaged and at-risk youths.

THE EXPECTATIONS: The program would have created, under the “Summer of Service” initiative, hundreds of jobs focusing on education and leadership training for Los Angeles-area low-income youngsters; also, supporters hoped it would provide additional money for 2,000 existing job programs as part of an economic stimulus package. The City of Los Angeles’ Summer Youth Employment Program, for example, expected to receive $50 million to pay for about 35,000 jobs in government and nonprofit organizations across the city. Instead, Los Angeles will, at best, get $18.3 million, enough money to create about 13,400 jobs. That’s 20,000 fewer than were generated last year under the Bush Administration.

On the heels of the rioting that exploded across Los Angeles in 1992, dissatisfaction and alienation among young people are ever more worrisome concerns.

Nationally, according to the Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics, 20.7% of all teen-agers were unemployed in May; among black youths, the rate is far higher. In New York City, unemployment in the 16-19 age group stands at a staggering 40%. In Los Angeles, the numbers are comparable. For a majority of minority youngsters, joblessness has become chronic.

Los Angeles Mayor-elect Richard Riordan campaigned on a platform of economic revitalization through increased corporate/governmental cooperation. That was appealing. As youth unemployment continues to inch upward, there is a greater need for the private sector to increase its involvement.

THE VOLUNTEERS: And a number of corporations, with the coordination of RLA (Rebuild L.A.), have stepped up to the plate. Arco, Disney, Dunn and Bradstreet, Ford, Hyundai, IBM, the Los Angeles Times, Pioneer Electronics, Pacific Bell, Southern California Edison, Rockwell, Toyota, Vons and Xerox, to name a few, all have devoted resources to job training programs and have hired many disadvantaged young people. Schools such as Cerritos College, Los Angeles Trade Tech College and Santa Monica College also have launched timely employment programs--the latter with a plan for schooling as well as work and, for deserving enrollees, scholarships.

As Congress fumbles with crucial summer job funds, it’s good to know that the local private sector is trying to do its part. Because, for its part, Washington appears to be taking the summer off.

Teen Unemployment

The percentage of unemployed teen-agers is far higher than the overall jobless rate. Among minority youths the numbers are even worse.

Source: Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics