Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Saturday Morning News

Summertime Job Prospects for High Schoolers

Aired June 14, 2003 - 09:23   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: As you know, it is summertime, and lots of teenagers are looking for jobs. But right now, it's a pretty tough market out there. So we want to give you a little help with that. We're going to take a look at some of these summertime job prospects for high schoolers.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WHITNEY CASEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Some are beating the odds.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I've had a job for two years, so I have had no problems.

CASEY: However, most are facing one of the toughest job markets in years.

(on camera): OK, show of hands. How many of you have summer jobs? So we'd say half, probably? Half of you have summer jobs?

(voice-over): For these New York City teens, school is out for summer. And 16-year-old Kerry Hooper (ph) has to find a job.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I've been looking for a job for almost -- I'd say about three months now, and, really, you know, just is, doors keep on closing, you know, like, now it's getting a little tighter.

CASEY: And Kerry's not alone. Going into the summer, the unemployment rate for teens already in the workforce was 18.5 percent in May, the highest it's been in nine years. The unemployment rate for black teens was 37 percent last month, more than double the rate of whites.

(on camera): Is it sort of just defeating?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I mean, what do you think your self-worth is at 16 when you're already trying to question yourself, and no one wants to hire you? It's just kind of, you know, disconcerting as to what your future's going to be like.

CASEY (voice-over): For 18-year-old Sedilla Dunkley (ph), it's a different story. She's graduating in a week and has a minimum-wage job at her community center. But at $5.15 an hour, she can't possibly pay all the bills she needs to.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: College is coming up. I'm going to have to help out with that. I have a phone bill at my house to pay for, I have my own cell phone bills to pay for, and I just like things to just take care of myself.

CASEY: To whittle away at the application process, Sedilla recommends applying online to as many jobs as possible. She says her callback rate is only one in 20. Other suggestions...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I find that places that are touristy areas are always looking for employment, like beaches, and, you know, vacation spots.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I usually get a job at my parish. So usually, like, if you look at the community organizations in your neighborhood, and if you're involved in them, like, it's usually pretty easy to get a job.

CASEY: And finally...

(on camera): So if at first you don't succeed, you just...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Try, try again.

CASEY: Whitney Casey, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired June 14, 2003 - 09:23   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: As you know, it is summertime, and lots of teenagers are looking for jobs. But right now, it's a pretty tough market out there. So we want to give you a little help with that. We're going to take a look at some of these summertime job prospects for high schoolers.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WHITNEY CASEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Some are beating the odds.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I've had a job for two years, so I have had no problems.

CASEY: However, most are facing one of the toughest job markets in years.

(on camera): OK, show of hands. How many of you have summer jobs? So we'd say half, probably? Half of you have summer jobs?

(voice-over): For these New York City teens, school is out for summer. And 16-year-old Kerry Hooper (ph) has to find a job.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I've been looking for a job for almost -- I'd say about three months now, and, really, you know, just is, doors keep on closing, you know, like, now it's getting a little tighter.

CASEY: And Kerry's not alone. Going into the summer, the unemployment rate for teens already in the workforce was 18.5 percent in May, the highest it's been in nine years. The unemployment rate for black teens was 37 percent last month, more than double the rate of whites.

(on camera): Is it sort of just defeating?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I mean, what do you think your self-worth is at 16 when you're already trying to question yourself, and no one wants to hire you? It's just kind of, you know, disconcerting as to what your future's going to be like.

CASEY (voice-over): For 18-year-old Sedilla Dunkley (ph), it's a different story. She's graduating in a week and has a minimum-wage job at her community center. But at $5.15 an hour, she can't possibly pay all the bills she needs to.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: College is coming up. I'm going to have to help out with that. I have a phone bill at my house to pay for, I have my own cell phone bills to pay for, and I just like things to just take care of myself.

CASEY: To whittle away at the application process, Sedilla recommends applying online to as many jobs as possible. She says her callback rate is only one in 20. Other suggestions...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I find that places that are touristy areas are always looking for employment, like beaches, and, you know, vacation spots.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I usually get a job at my parish. So usually, like, if you look at the community organizations in your neighborhood, and if you're involved in them, like, it's usually pretty easy to get a job.

CASEY: And finally...

(on camera): So if at first you don't succeed, you just...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Try, try again.

CASEY: Whitney Casey, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com