Why Are Some NYC Students Struggling to Find a Summer Job?

WITH THE BREAK ALMOST OVER, ONE STUDENT DETAILS HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO FIND A JOB DURING THE SUMMER.

*Sharon Toj-Vasquez was a student in the College Now Introduction to Journalism class at the City College of New York.

Edwar, a 16-year-old student from the Bronx had a hard time finding a job this summer. The market for teens is rough, he said, as he’s competing with both teens and people who are much older and experienced for the same job. While New York City is a hub for job opportunities, the reality for teens is less promising.

“I wanted a summer job because I wanted to learn what the actual world is for adults,” Edwar said. He also wanted to “start to save up money for college expenses.”  

For many teens in NYC, a job could help them have a little extra pocket money or the first step into the next phase of their life. But some students this summer are struggling. According to a pre-summer prediction from Challenger, Gray & Christmas, a career coaching company, “teens will gain 790,000 jobs in May, June, and July 2026, down slightly from the 801,000 jobs employers added last summer.” 

If those expectations pan out, according to the company, “it would be the lowest summer hiring total for teens since BLS began tracking the data in 1948, undercutting last year’s figure.” 

Edwar said he applied all over: to places like Macy’s, JCPenny, Target, and local stores in The Bronx. “I was indeed hoping to get a summer job, I felt like this year was the right time for me to learn new things and actually work for a better future and opportunities,” he said. “But,” Edwar continued, “I was very unfortunate to be one of hundreds that were not able to get picked for any job.” Many big corporations have online applications, but to get some sort of response from them it could take weeks or even months to hear back. Then, summer is over. In order to ensure enough time to hear back, the timeline starts way before the last day of school.

Some of the jobs ask for experience, a tough requirement for a student applying for their first summer job. As wages increase in NYC, employers may be selective of who they hire. “I think that the lack of experience does in fact make it harder to get hired,” Edwar said. 

Programs like Summer Youth Employment Program in NYC help students between 14-24 get jobs. This summer, more than 100,00 young new yorkers were able to get jobs or some sort of paid work experience through SYEP. These types of opportunities allow teens to gain that experience some companies require. Mayor Zohran Mamdani kicked off the program in early July. “For so many young New Yorkers, a summer job is more than just a way to pass the time, it’s a step towards their future,” he said. “For years, SYEP has helped thousands of New Yorkers start their careers, hone their professional skills, and give back to the neighborhoods they call home – all while allowing them to earn money,” Mamdani added.

Edwar, who wasn’t involved in a program like this, has a message for employers. 

“I would want the employers to be open minded about hiring teenagers and looking forward to helping us get experience,” he said, noting, “it would give us a better chance into actually getting that job or making us better for other jobs”