TEXT
Table 1.  Employment status of the civilian population 16 to 24 years of age by sex, and race, April-July 1996
Table 2.  Employment status of the civilian population 16 to 24 years of age by sex, and race, July 1994-96
Table 3.  Employed persons 16 to 24 years of age by industry, class of worker, and race, July 1995-96

Technical information:  (202) 606-6378     USDL 96-360
                              606-6373
                                           For release:  10:00 A.M.  EDT
Media contact:                606-5902     Thursday, September 19, 1996
 
 
 
           EMPLOYMENT AND UNEMPLOYMENT AMONG YOUTH--SUMMER 1996
 
 
  The number of employed youth increased by 2.6 million from April to July-
-the traditional summertime peak--the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the
U.S. Department of Labor reported today.  This seasonal expansion in
employment of 16- to 24-year-olds was the same as that of a year earlier.
The number of unemployed young people, which also grows at this time every
year, rose by 603,000.  (Because the focus of this analysis is the seasonal
changes in youth employment and unemployment that occur every spring and
summer, the data are not adjusted for seasonality.)
 
Labor Force
 
   The 16- to 24-year old labor force--those working or actively looking
for work--expands sharply between April and July each year, as large
numbers of high school and college students search for summer jobs and
recent graduates look for permanent employment.  This summer, the youth
labor force rose by 3.2 million, to a total of 23.7 million in July.  This
was about in line with the increase which occurred over the same period in
1995.  (See table 1.)
 
   The labor force participation rate for youth in July--the proportion of
their population in the labor force--was 73.3 percent, a percentage point
lower than the July 1995 level.  The participation rates for each of the
component groups--men, women, whites, and blacks--also were a bit lower
than a year earlier.  (See table 2.)
 
Employment
 
   July youth employment was 20.7 million in 1996.  The proportion of young
people in the civilian population who were employed--64.1 percent in July--
was slightly below that of a year earlier.  The employment-to-population
ratio declined for young men and white youth, while remaining essentially
unchanged for women and black youth.  (See table 2.)
 
   Three-fifths of youth worked in retail trade and services in July;
about 7 percent were employed in government.  Black youth were more likely
than white youth to work in government.  (See table 3.)
 
  ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 |  NOTE:  This release provides data on the influx of youth              |
 |into the labor market between the spring and summer (table 1).          |
 |The April-July period is used as the most representative time frame     |
 |to measure the full summertime transition from school to work.  July    |
 |is preferable for analytical purposes since it is traditionally the peak|
 |month of youth employment.                                              |
 |  Information in this release will be made available to sensory         |
 |impaired individuals upon request.  Voice phone:  202-606-STAT;         |
 |TDD phone: 202-606-5897; TDD message referral phone: 1-800-326-2577.    |
  ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
                                   - 2 -
 
Unemployment
 
   The number of unemployed youth in July (3.0 million) and their
unemployment rate (12.6 percent) were essentially the same as the year
before.  Unemployment rates for young men (13.0 percent), women (12.1
percent), whites (10.5 percent), and blacks (25.4 percent) were little
changed from a year ago.  (See table 2.)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Table 1.  Employment status of the civilian population 16 to 24 years of age by sex, and race, April-July 1996
 
    (Numbers in thousands.  Data are not seasonally adjusted.)
    ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
                                                           |         |         |         |         |
                                                           |         |         |         |         | April-July changes
                                                           |         |         |         |         |
      Employment status, sex, and race                     |  April  |   May   |   June  |   July  |-------------------
                                                           |         |         |         |         |         |
                                                           |         |         |         |         |  Number | Percent
    ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
                                                           |         |         |         |         |         |
                                                           |         |         |         |         |         |
                             TOTAL                         |         |         |         |         |         |
                                                           |         |         |         |         |         |
      Civilian noninstitutional population.................|  32,299 |  32,224 |  32,284 |  32,310 |      11 |   (1)
        Civilian labor force...............................|  20,448 |  21,105 |  22,853 |  23,677 |   3,229 |    15.8
              Participation rate...........................|    63.3 |    65.5 |    70.8 |    73.3 |    10.0 |    15.8
          Employed.........................................|  18,076 |  18,439 |  19,890 |  20,702 |   2,626 |    14.5
              Employment-population ratio (2)..............|    56.0 |    57.2 |    61.6 |    64.1 |     8.1 |    14.5
          Unemployed.......................................|   2,372 |   2,666 |   2,963 |   2,975 |     603 |    25.4
            Looking for full-time work.....................|   1,501 |   1,841 |   2,139 |   2,136 |     635 |    42.3
            Looking for part-time work.....................|     870 |     824 |     824 |     839 |     -32 |    -3.6
            Unemployment rate..............................|    11.6 |    12.6 |    13.0 |    12.6 |     1.0 |     8.6
        Not in labor force.................................|  11,851 |  11,119 |   9,431 |   8,633 |  -3,218 |   -27.2
                                                           |         |         |         |         |         |
                              Men                          |         |         |         |         |         |
                                                           |         |         |         |         |         |
      Civilian noninstitutional population.................|  16,149 |  16,120 |  16,152 |  16,179 |      30 |      .2
        Civilian labor force...............................|  10,748 |  11,182 |  12,123 |  12,667 |   1,919 |    17.9
              Participation rate...........................|    66.6 |    69.4 |    75.1 |    78.3 |    11.7 |    17.6
          Employed.........................................|   9,380 |   9,702 |  10,539 |  11,023 |   1,644 |    17.5
              Employment-population ratio (2)..............|    58.1 |    60.2 |    65.3 |    68.1 |    10.1 |    17.2
          Unemployed.......................................|   1,368 |   1,480 |   1,584 |   1,644 |     276 |    20.1
            Looking for full-time work.....................|     922 |   1,097 |   1,186 |   1,182 |     260 |    28.2
            Looking for part-time work.....................|     446 |     383 |     398 |     462 |      15 |     3.4
            Unemployment rate..............................|    12.7 |    13.2 |    13.1 |    13.0 |      .3 |     2.4
        Not in labor force.................................|   5,401 |   4,938 |   4,029 |   3,512 |  -1,889 |   -35.0
                                                           |         |         |         |         |         |
                             Women                         |         |         |         |         |         |
                                                           |         |         |         |         |         |
      Civilian noninstitutional population.................|  16,150 |  16,104 |  16,132 |  16,131 |     -19 |     -.1
        Civilian labor force...............................|   9,700 |   9,923 |  10,730 |  11,010 |   1,310 |    13.5
              Participation rate...........................|    60.1 |    61.6 |    66.5 |    68.3 |     8.2 |    13.6
          Employed.........................................|   8,697 |   8,737 |   9,351 |   9,678 |     982 |    11.3
              Employment-population ratio (2)..............|    53.8 |    54.3 |    58.0 |    60.0 |     6.1 |    11.5
          Unemployed.......................................|   1,003 |   1,185 |   1,379 |   1,331 |     328 |    32.6
            Looking for full-time work.....................|     579 |     744 |     953 |     954 |     375 |    64.8
            Looking for part-time work.....................|     424 |     441 |     426 |     377 |     -47 |   -11.1
            Unemployment rate..............................|    10.3 |    11.9 |    12.9 |    12.1 |     1.8 |    17.5
        Not in labor force.................................|   6,450 |   6,182 |   5,402 |   5,121 |  -1,329 |   -20.6
                                                           |         |         |         |         |         |         
                                                           |         |         |         |         |         |         
                             White                         |         |         |         |         |         |
                                                           |         |         |         |         |         |
      Civilian noninstitutional population.................|  25,681 |  25,695 |  25,714 |  25,729 |      48 |      .2
        Civilian labor force...............................|  16,959 |  17,556 |  19,019 |  19,644 |   2,685 |    15.8
              Participation rate...........................|    66.0 |    68.3 |    74.0 |    76.4 |    10.3 |    15.8
          Employed.........................................|  15,274 |  15,594 |  16,939 |  17,584 |   2,310 |    15.1
              Employment-population ratio (2)..............|    59.5 |    60.7 |    65.9 |    68.3 |     8.9 |    14.8
          Unemployed.......................................|   1,685 |   1,963 |   2,080 |   2,060 |     376 |    22.3
            Looking for full-time work.....................|   1,020 |   1,313 |   1,470 |   1,429 |     409 |    40.2
            Looking for part-time work.....................|     665 |     649 |     610 |     632 |     -33 |    -5.0
            Unemployment rate..............................|     9.9 |    11.2 |    10.9 |    10.5 |      .6 |     6.1
        Not in labor force.................................|   8,722 |   8,138 |   6,695 |   6,085 |  -2,638 |   -30.2
                                                           |         |         |         |         |         |
                             Black                         |         |         |         |         |         |
                                                           |         |         |         |         |         |
      Civilian noninstitutional population.................|   4,848 |   4,856 |   4,880 |   4,883 |      35 |      .7
        Civilian labor force...............................|   2,580 |   2,695 |   2,896 |   3,026 |     446 |    17.3
              Participation rate...........................|    53.2 |    55.5 |    59.3 |    62.0 |     8.7 |    16.5
          Employed.........................................|   2,022 |   2,106 |   2,132 |   2,258 |     235 |    11.6
              Employment-population ratio (2)..............|    41.7 |    43.4 |    43.7 |    46.2 |     4.5 |    10.8
          Unemployed.......................................|     557 |     589 |     763 |     768 |     211 |    37.8
            Looking for full-time work.....................|     395 |     452 |     573 |     617 |     222 |    56.1
            Looking for part-time work.....................|     162 |     136 |     190 |     151 |     -11 |    -6.7
            Unemployment rate..............................|    21.6 |    21.8 |    26.4 |    25.4 |     3.8 |    17.6
        Not in labor force.................................|   2,269 |   2,161 |   1,984 |   1,858 |    -411 |   -18.1
    ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
      1 Less than 0.05 percent.
      2 Employment as a percent of the civilian noninstitutional population.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Table 2.  Employment status of the civilian population 16 to 24 years of age by sex, and race, July 1994-96
 
    (Numbers in thousands.  Data are not seasonally adjusted.)
    ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
                                                                     |              |              |
                    Employment status, sex, and race                 |     1994     |     1995     |     1996
    ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
                                                                     |              |              |
                                                                     |              |              |
                                                                     |              |              |
                                  TOTAL                              |              |              |
                                                                     |              |              |
      Civilian noninstitutional population...........................|     32,579   |     32,436   |     32,310
        Civilian labor force.........................................|     24,132   |     24,102   |     23,677
              Participation rate.....................................|       74.1   |       74.3   |       73.3
          Employed...................................................|     21,068   |     21,041   |     20,702
              Employment-population ratio (1)........................|       64.7   |       64.9   |       64.1
          Unemployed.................................................|      3,064   |      3,062   |      2,975
            Looking for full-time work...............................|      2,339   |      2,273   |      2,136
            Looking for part-time work...............................|        725   |        789   |        839
            Unemployment rate........................................|       12.7   |       12.7   |       12.6
        Not in labor force...........................................|      8,447   |      8,334   |      8,633
                                                                     |              |              |
                                   Men                               |              |              |
                                                                     |              |              |
      Civilian noninstitutional population...........................|     16,292   |     16,246   |     16,179
        Civilian labor force.........................................|     12,836   |     12,884   |     12,667
              Participation rate.....................................|       78.8   |       79.3   |       78.3
          Employed...................................................|     11,159   |     11,311   |     11,023
              Employment-population ratio (1)........................|       68.5   |       69.6   |       68.1
          Unemployed.................................................|      1,676   |      1,573   |      1,644
            Looking for full-time work...............................|      1,320   |      1,219   |      1,182
            Looking for part-time work...............................|        356   |        354   |        462
            Unemployment rate........................................|       13.1   |       12.2   |       13.0
        Not in labor force...........................................|      3,456   |      3,363   |      3,512
                                                                     |              |              |
                                  Women                              |              |              |
                                                                     |              |              |
      Civilian noninstitutional population...........................|     16,287   |     16,190   |     16,131
        Civilian labor force.........................................|     11,297   |     11,219   |     11,010
              Participation rate.....................................|       69.4   |       69.3   |       68.3
          Employed...................................................|      9,909   |      9,730   |      9,678
              Employment-population ratio (1)........................|       60.8   |       60.1   |       60.0
          Unemployed.................................................|      1,388   |      1,489   |      1,331
            Looking for full-time work...............................|      1,019   |      1,054   |        954
            Looking for part-time work...............................|        368   |        435   |        377
            Unemployment rate........................................|       12.3   |       13.3   |       12.1
        Not in labor force...........................................|      4,990   |      4,971   |      5,121
                                                                     |              |              |              
                                                                     |              |              |
                                  White                              |              |              |
                                                                     |              |              |
      Civilian noninstitutional population...........................|     25,963   |     25,777   |     25,729
        Civilian labor force.........................................|     20,048   |     19,890   |     19,644
              Participation rate.....................................|       77.2   |       77.2   |       76.4
          Employed...................................................|     17,928   |     17,876   |     17,584
              Employment-population ratio (1)........................|       69.1   |       69.3   |       68.3
          Unemployed.................................................|      2,120   |      2,014   |      2,060
            Looking for full-time work...............................|      1,596   |      1,454   |      1,428
            Looking for part-time work...............................|        524   |        559   |        632
            Unemployment rate........................................|       10.6   |       10.1   |       10.5
        Not in labor force...........................................|      5,915   |      5,887   |      6,085
                                                                     |              |              |
                                  Black                              |              |              |
                                                                     |              |              |
      Civilian noninstitutional population...........................|      4,826   |      4,834   |      4,883
        Civilian labor force.........................................|      3,073   |      3,083   |      3,026
              Participation rate.....................................|       63.7   |       63.8   |       62.0
          Employed...................................................|      2,309   |      2,230   |      2,258
              Employment-population ratio (1)........................|       47.8   |       46.1   |       46.2
          Unemployed.................................................|        764   |        852   |        768
            Looking for full-time work...............................|        634   |        667   |        617
            Looking for part-time work...............................|        130   |        186   |        151
            Unemployment rate........................................|       24.9   |       27.7   |       25.4
        Not in labor force...........................................|      1,753   |      1,751   |      1,858
    ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
      1 Employment as a percent of the civilian noninstitutional population.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Table 3.  Employed persons 16 to 24 years of age by industry, class of worker, and race, July 1995-96
 
    (Numbers in thousands.  Data are not seasonally adjusted.)
    ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
                                                           |                   |                   |
                                                           |       Total       |       White       |       Black
                                                            ___________________________________________________________
        Industry and class of worker                       |                   |                   |
                                                           |         |         |         |         |         |
                                                           |   1995  |   1996  |   1995  |   1996  |   1995  |   1996
    ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
                                                           |         |         |         |         |         |
                                                           |         |         |         |         |         |
          Total employed...................................|  21,041 |  20,702 |  17,876 |  17,584 |   2,230 |   2,258
                                                           |         |         |         |         |         |
      Agriculture .........................................|     882 |     805 |     831 |     774 |      17 |      17
      Nonagricultural industries...........................|  20,159 |  19,897 |  17,044 |  16,810 |   2,214 |   2,241
        Private wage and salary workers....................|  18,131 |  18,111 |  15,412 |  15,403 |   1,913 |   1,971
          Mining...........................................|      42 |      59 |      39 |      50 |       2 |       9
          Construction.....................................|   1,157 |   1,105 |   1,064 |   1,041 |      60 |      51
          Manufacturing....................................|   2,274 |   2,174 |   1,876 |   1,808 |     247 |     279
          Transportation and public utilities..............|     701 |     707 |     569 |     542 |     105 |     136
          Wholesale trade..................................|     613 |     584 |     547 |     514 |      43 |      51
          Retail trade.....................................|   7,224 |   7,428 |   6,119 |   6,309 |     806 |     806
          Finance, insurance, and real estate..............|     894 |     786 |     734 |     654 |     109 |      81
          Services.........................................|   5,228 |   5,268 |   4,463 |   4,483 |     540 |     558
                                                           |         |         |         |         |         |
        Government.........................................|   1,560 |   1,396 |   1,222 |   1,074 |     268 |     239
          Federal..........................................|     204 |     158 |     141 |     106 |      46 |      26
          State............................................|     478 |     476 |     355 |     368 |     104 |      80
          Local............................................|     878 |     763 |     727 |     600 |     119 |     134
                                                           |         |         |         |         |         |
        Self-employed and unpaid family workers............|     468 |     390 |     410 |     333 |      32 |      31
    ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________