A summer of fewer jobs for teens

Summary

Marketplace Morning Report: A Summer of Fewer Jobs for Teens Release Date: June 11, 2025

In this episode of the Marketplace Morning Report, host David Brancaccio delves into several pressing economic and business issues affecting the United States. The focal point of the discussion centers on the declining availability of summer jobs for teenagers, exploring the underlying factors and potential long-term consequences. Additionally, the report covers significant developments in US-China trade relations, updates on federal policies affecting tariffs, and challenges faced by the US Forest Service in managing wildfire seasons.

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US-China Trade Relations Back on Track

The episode opens with an update on the fragile state of US-China trade relations. After two days of intense negotiations in London, trade negotiators from both nations have agreed to extend a partial truce, signaling a potential thaw in their economic interactions.

Nancy Marshall Genser reports:

"U.S. trade negotiators have agreed on a framework for next steps" (01:07).

Howard Lutnick, Commerce Secretary, adds:

"Once the presidents approve it, we will then seek to implement it" (01:23).

This framework aims to address previously settled issues, such as China's restrictions on rare earth mineral exports. The agreement awaits final approval from President Trump and President Xi before it becomes actionable.

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Trump Tariffs and DOJ Policy Shifts

David Brancaccio highlights a significant legal development where a federal appeals court has temporarily upheld President Trump's tariffs on most countries. This hold remains in place as the administration faces legal challenges regarding the use of emergency powers to impose these tariffs.

In related news, the Department of Justice (DOJ) is shifting its focus concerning the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). The DOJ has reduced its investigations, now concentrating primarily on corruption that harms US competitiveness. This move suggests a more selective approach, potentially overlooking instances where corruption may benefit US companies.

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US Forest Service Faces Staffing Shortages Amid Wildfire Season

A critical issue addressed is the US Forest Service's struggle to maintain adequate staffing levels during the peak wildfire season. Previously, many firefighters left amid government efficiency firings and uncertainty over permanent pandemic-related pay raises. The agency is now inviting these displaced workers back, offering compensation through September to regain their workforce.

Savannah Peters reports:

"These Forest Service workers... have been sent home and called back" (02:56).

Howard Lutnick emphasizes the need for:

"Adequate pay and benefits and some degree of stability" (03:17).

With thousands of experienced firefighters and support workers away, the Forest Service anticipates a decrease in the speed, efficiency, and scale at which wildfires can be managed.

Lucas Mayfield, president of Grassroots Wildland Firefighters, expresses skepticism:

"The agency's invitation to sidelined workers may not be well received" (03:52).

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Challenges in Summer Hiring for Teenagers

The heart of this episode revolves around the diminishing opportunities for teenagers seeking summer employment. A report from the outplacement firm Challenger Gray forecasts a tougher landscape for seasonal job seekers this year, with potential long-term repercussions for youth unemployment.

Daniel Ackerman narrates the story of Rich Harrell, whose early summer job experience instilled valuable soft skills that benefited his later career:

"Those summers taught me the perseverance and discipline I needed later in life" (05:14).

Alicia Modestino, a public policy professor at Northeastern University, underscores the multifaceted benefits of summer jobs:

"Their attendance at school increases and they're less likely to fail courses" (05:54), "Summer of 2023, we were down to 10% [unemployment]" (06:17).

However, the current youth unemployment rate has surged to over 13%, a reflection of the broader cooling labor market. Allison Srivastava, an economist at Indeed Hiring Lab, attributes this trend to economic uncertainty, citing factors like tariffs and travel restrictions that make businesses hesitant to commit to hiring.

Savannah Peters adds:

"Businesses just don't know how much demand they're going to see this summer, so they're more hesitant to staff up" (06:52).

Moreover, Nicole Smith, an economist at Georgetown, highlights automation as a long-term threat to teenage employment:

"That's a slow-moving tsunami that has eaten up a lot of the repetitious entry-level teen jobs" (07:20).

Positions like grocery store cashiers and retail associates are increasingly being replaced by machines, reducing the availability of traditional entry points for young workers.

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Looking Ahead

As the summer progresses, the confluence of economic uncertainties and technological advancements poses significant challenges for teenage employment. Without adequate summer job opportunities, the potential benefits—ranging from skill development to higher future earnings—are at risk of diminishing. Policymakers and businesses alike may need to address these barriers to ensure that youth can continue to gain valuable work experience during the summer months.

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Note: This episode also included advertisements for the Oregon Lottery and a promotion for TED Talks Daily. However, these segments were omitted from the summary to maintain focus on the core content.

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For more insights and detailed discussions on these topics, consider tuning into the full episode of the Marketplace Morning Report.

Transcript

[David Brancaccio]

Hey there and thanks for listening. We want to know more about our audience. Stick around at the end of this episode to hear about how you can help, provide feedback and have a chance to walk away with a $75 gift card.

[Oregon Lottery Representative]

In the summer. All of Oregon is our playground thanks to our incredible park system. That's why it's so cool that Oregon Lottery gameplay like video lottery or cash pop helps support tons of parks projects statewide like accessible trails at Silver Falls State park or upgrades to your favorite dog park in Newburgh. It's just one way a little lottery play for many Oregonians can add up to a lot of good the Oregon Lottery. Together we do good things. Lottery games are based on chance and should be played for entertainment only. Must be 18 or older to play.

[David Brancaccio]

The US and China May not have repaired trade relations, but they're back on track. I'm David Brancaccio in Los Angeles. US And China trade negotiators have agreed to extend the partial truce after two days of talks in London. The next move is up to President Trump and President Xi, Marketplace's Nancy Marshall Genser reports.

[Nancy Marshall Genser]

U.S. treasury Secretary Scott Besant, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and U.S. trade Representative Jamison Greer represented the U.S. in London after the talks ended late last night. Lutnick told reporters the negotiators agreed on a framework for next steps.

[Howard Lutnick]

So once the presidents approve it, we will then seek to implement it.

[Nancy Marshall Genser]

And it is a by definition, two.

[Howard Lutnick]

Giant economies have lots of complex issues. But we pounded through, I think we pounded through all of them and I think we've reached a framework to implement the agreements that have been reached.

[Nancy Marshall Genser]

That framework will be implementing an agreement first reached at talks last month in Geneva. It's meant to resolve issues the two sides thought were settled, like China's restrictions on exports of rare earth Minerals to the U.S. once that is resolved, Letnik says the U.S. will roll back its restrictions on exports of advanced technology to China. A statement from Chinese delegation says the two sides have agreed in principle on the framework. The deal now just needs a thumbs up from Trump and Xi. I'm Nancy Marshall Genser for Marketplace and.

[David Brancaccio]

A federal appeals court has temporarily allowed Trump tariffs on most countries in the world to stay in place pending a legal challenge to use assumed emergency powers to enact them. Tesla CEO and former White House cost cutter Elon Musk now says he regrets some posts about the president of the United States. They went too far. Tesla stock is up 2% in pre market trading now. The US Forest Service is now inviting back firefighters who left amid government efficiency firings and offers of getting paid through September if they resigned this winter. You see there's something called peak wildfire season marketplaces, savannah Peters reports.

[Savannah Peters]

These Forest Service workers who keep getting sent home and called back are the same ones who spent the last few years bracing for a possible pay cut while Congress repeatedly kicked the can on making their pandemic raises permanent.

[Howard Lutnick]

Those people kind of have been burned.

[Savannah Peters]

No pun intended, by Michael Wara, a climate policy expert at Stanford.

[Howard Lutnick]

What the federal employees that support Wildland Fire really need are adequate pay and benefits and some degree of stability. And they really haven't had that.

[Savannah Peters]

Now, heading into the hottest and driest months of the year, the Forest Service is down thousands of experienced firefighters and support workers.

[Howard Lutnick]

It'll decrease the speed, efficiency and scale.

[David Brancaccio]

That people can operate.

[Savannah Peters]

Lucas Mayfield, president of the advocacy group Grassroots Wildland Firefighters, says the agency's invitation to sidelined workers may not be well received.

[Howard Lutnick]

There are a great deal of negative.

[David Brancaccio]

Feelings that wouldn't make me want to.

[Savannah Peters]

Jump off the couch to perform the tough, dangerous work of fighting and preventing destructive wildfires. I'm Savannah Peters for Marketplace.

[Oregon Lottery Representative]

In the summer all of Oregon is our playground, thanks to our incredible park system. That's why it's so cool that Oregon Lottery gameplay, like video lottery or cash pop helps support tons of parks projects statewide, like accessible trails at Silver Falls State park or upgrades to your favorite dog park in Newburgh. It's just one way a little lottery play for many Oregonians can add up to a lot of good the Oregon Lottery. Together, we do good things. Lottery games are based on chance and should be played for entertainment only. Must be 18 or older to play.

[David Brancaccio]

Summer hiring of teenagers crests right about now, but seasonal jobs are predicted to be harder to find this time around, according to a report from the outplacement firm Challenger Gray. In Christmas now, when teens don't find a summer job, there can be long term consequences. Daniel Ackerman reports.

[Howard Lutnick]

When Rich Harrell was 17, his dad came to him one day just after the school year ended, and he said, be ready in the morning. I said, where we go? And he said, don't worry about it. The next day, Harrell's dad dropped him off at a peach farm on the edge of their town in South Carolina. And that's where Harrell worked for the next seven summers. Working in the shed, working in the field, whatever was needed. Harrell is now a professor of hospitality at the University of South Carolina. And even though that's a world away from peach farming he says those summers taught him something things I needed later in life. The perseverance and discipline, these soft skills, are a crucial benefit of summer jobs.

[Alicia Modestino]

This is what teaches you good work habits.

[Howard Lutnick]

Alicia Modestino is a professor of public policy at Northeastern University, and she says good things come to students who work summers.

[Alicia Modestino]

Their attendance at school increases and they're less likely to fail courses and they.

[Howard Lutnick]

See higher average earnings in the future. Modestino says youth employment surged in the summers after the COVID lockdowns.

[Alicia Modestino]

Suddenly we decided to reopen the entire world and we had this amazing boom in youth employment where we got to a really low unemployment rate. Summer of 2023, we were down to 10%.

[Howard Lutnick]

Now, though, unemployment for teenagers is up to more than 13%.

[Alicia Modestino]

What we're seeing is the general cooling off of the labor market. And unfortunately, you know, youth are the leading indicator here, so they are always the last to be hired, the first to be fired.

[Howard Lutnick]

And this year there are just fewer summer jobs available for them, says Allison Srivastava, an economist at Indeed Hiring Lab. And a lot of that is, you.

[Savannah Peters]

Know, because of what I'm sure everyone.

[Howard Lutnick]

Is sick of hearing, and that's economic uncertainty, she says. With tariffs and travel restrictions, businesses just don't know how much demand they're going to see this summer, so they're more hesitant to staff up.

[Savannah Peters]

Postings for summer jobs even started a.

[Howard Lutnick]

Little bit later this year.

[Savannah Peters]

People really held off.

[Howard Lutnick]

But beyond the chaos of this particular summer, there's another force that could reduce work opportunities for teens, says Nicole Smith, an economist at Georgetown. And that's automation.

[Daniel Ackerman]

That's a slow moving tsunami that has eaten up a lot of the repetitious entry level teen jobs.

[Howard Lutnick]

Think the grocery store checkout counter, retail.

[Daniel Ackerman]

Stores now have all of these machines and you don't necessarily need a human being.

[Howard Lutnick]

There are still some summer jobs that require a human touch. Robot lifeguards probably not coming soon to a pool near you. I'm Daniel Ackerman for Marketplace, and we've.

[David Brancaccio]

Been monitoring work by the Trump administration to ease off prosecutions using the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. The Justice Department said yesterday it's now pulled the plug on about half of its investigations of alleged US Company misbehavior in foreign countries. And the government says there will be a new, more narrow focus on shenanigans that hurt U.S. competitiveness, suggesting corruption that helps U.S. companies may increasingly get a pass. In Los Angeles, I'm David Brancaccio with the Marketplace Morning Report from APM American Public Media.

[Daniel Ackerman]

Add a little curiosity into your routine with TED Talks Daily, the podcast that brings you a new TED Talk every weekday. In less than 15 minutes a day, you'll go beyond the headlines and learn about the big ideas shaping your future. Coming up how AI will change the way we communicate, how to be a better leader, and more. Listen to TED Talks Daily wherever you get your podcasts.