Forest Hills teens are finding it harder to land summer jobs as more young people enter the workforce, creating increased competition for available positions.
Michigan Teen Unemployment Expected to Rise
The Michigan Center for Data and Analytics projects that teen unemployment will reach 18 percent this summer, with an estimated 45,400 Michigan teens expected to be unemployed despite actively seeking work. The forecast shows 252,500 teens will participate in the labor force, with 207,100 finding employment.
Teen Workforce Participation Rebounds Since Recession
Teen workforce participation in Michigan has rebounded significantly since the Great Recession. After falling to 38 percent following the economic downturn, participation reached 45 percent in 2025 – the highest rate since 2007. In the early 2000s, more than 60 percent of Michigan teens were active in the labor force.
With Michigan’s teen population estimated at over 500,000 in 2025, approximately 200,000 were employed while 45,000 remained unemployed.
Local Students Feel the Pressure
Nineteen-year-old Tristan Gerville-Réche, a University of Miami marine biology student preparing for another summer as a lifeguard, said the job market has become more challenging.
“It’s much harder to find job opportunities if you have not already been in the market,” Gerville-Réche said…