The Obama administration is taking action to strengthen the economy by creating a plan to provide employment to low-income youth ages 16 to 24 in the summer of 2012.
President Barack Obama proposed Summer Jobs+, a new call to action for businesses, nonprofits and government organizational to work together to open employment opportunities to youth who are disconnected from work or school.
Summer Jobs+ aims to create nearly 180,000 jobs, with a goal of reaching 250,000 jobs by the start of the summer. Out of that total, at least 100,000 will be paid jobs and internships.
“America’s young people face record unemployment, and we need to do everything we can to make sure they’ve got the opportunity to earn the skills and a work ethic that come with a job,” Obama said in a United States Department of Agriculture press release. “It’s important for their future, and for America’s. That’s why I proposed a summer jobs program for youth in the American Jobs Act — a plan that Congress failed to pass. America’s youth can’t wait for Congress to act.”
According to the Department of Labor’s Bureau Statistics, 48.8 percent of youth ages 16 to 24 were employed in July 2011, compared to 59.2 percent in 2006 and 63.3 percent in 2001.
Many students agree that it is hard to find summer employment. Jonathan Lindsay, a sophomore political science major, said he has not had a job for more than a year.
“My last job was at Jamba Juice, but I had to quit because my school schedule wasn’t working out,” Lindsay said. “I tried to get a summer job, but no luck there.”
Within 60 days, the Obama administration intends to launch the Summer Jobs+ Bank, which is a search tool designed to give youth easy access to postings for any participating employers seeking to reach online users.
The Summer Jobs+ Bank will make summer job searches easier because the listings will specifically apply to youth ages 16 to 24.
Businesses, nonprofits and governmental organizations can become a part of the Summer Jobs+ program by directly hiring youth, as well as providing corporate mentorship experiences, internships and other opportunities.
“This is a good way to help us out because we need the job experience too,” said Lisa Chiem, a junior communications major. “How do they expect us to get experience if no one will hire us?”
Many businesses have already committed to the program and set aside an amount of youth they will be providing employment or internship opportunities to.
“I’m about to graduate soon, and I still don’t have any internships,” junior business major Jaime Lopez said. “I feel like this is my last chance, so hopefully I can finally get one now.”
This is not the first time that summer jobs were created. Summer Jobs+ is a continued effort to improve the economy by the Obama Aadministration since the Great Recession. The Department of Labor brought together private sector commitments to employ over 80,000 youth in the summer of 2011.
“I hate my current job, so maybe now, I can get a new one this summer,” said Susan Chadwick, a freshman psychology major.
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