Unemployment rate among La. teens 'astronomical'

Published Jul 24, 2012 at 2:00 pm (Updated Jul 24, 2012)

A new report out today from the Pelican Institute for Public Policy, a New Orleans-based research organization, says increased labor costs in Louisiana are resulting in fewer on-the-job training opportunities for the state's teens. According to the report, the teenage unemployment rate in Louisiana more than doubled between 2006 and 2011, from 13.2% to 26.5%. "While the jobs situation in Louisiana is somewhat better than the national average, the unemployment rate for working-age teens (16-19) is astronomical and bodes ill for the future of Louisiana's youth," says the Pelican Institute. The unemployment rate has particularly skyrocketed among Louisiana teens with less than a high school education, going from 13.6% in 2006 to 34.4% in 2011—an increase of 153%. The average hours worked per week for Louisiana teens fell from 9.7 to 5.7 hours over that same time frame—a decrease of 41.2% The percentage of employed Louisiana teenagers declined from 35.4% in 2006 to 22.8% in 2011. You can take a look at the full five page report here.