Yesterday, hundreds of students gathered outside Boston’s South Station to join Mayor Tom Menino in calling on the business community to support youth jobs.
With stimulus funds expiring, tight budgets have forced cutbacks to youth job programs — leading to the loss of at least 2,500 jobs this year in Massachusetts.
That’s 2,500 young people who won’t be able to find work this summer. And for families who are already struggling to make ends meet, a son or daughter’s summer job isn’t just a resume booster or a way to make extra spending money — it’s a vital income source for their family.
That’s why Mayor Menino encouraged students to come to the rally dressed for success with their resumes in hand, so that they could show the business community that they were ready to work.
Students turn in their resumes to show the business community that they are ready to work
A decade ago, nearly half of all young people were able to find employment. Just ten years later, that number has dropped to under 27%. In fact, the average employment rate for teens in 2010 was the lowest recorded since the end of World War II.
Yesterday, teens proved that they were ready to work. And at a time when many big businesses are raking in huge profits, Massachusetts teens should be seeing more job opportunities — not less.