August 1, 2000 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

Youth working in high school more likely to be employed in future

Increasing the weeks spent working while school was in session when a student is aged 16-17 is associated with increasing that individual’s weeks worked during the following 13 years.

[Chart data—TXT]

The step up in the percent of weeks worked in the 13 years after high school holds true regardless of the category of hours worked per week during high school. In particular, individuals who did not work during school weeks while aged 16 and 17 worked 64 percent of weeks from age 18 through 30, while those who worked 50 percent of school weeks or less while aged 16 and 17 worked 74 percent of weeks while aged 18 to 30.

Among youths that worked more than 50 percent of school weeks, the percentage is even higher (between 82 and 84 percent depending on the category of hours worked per week). The overall step-up pattern holds for both men and women and regardless of race and ethnicity.

Data on youth employment are a product of the National Longitudinal Surveys. Additional information is available from Chapter 7 of the Report on the Youth Labor Force.