GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — June is Youth Employment Month, and more than 250,000 Michigan teens are seeking employment this year. While the number of teens looking for a job is up this year, the number that are getting hired is down in Michigan. That’s according to the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget, which says the economy is to blame.
However, there are ways for your teen or grandchild to stand out. Just take your cue from Ja’Koveon.
If you are a member of the YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids, you’ve probably seen Ja’Koveon working out or at work.
“I wouldn’t even consider the work that I do a job,” YMCA Camp Counselor Ja’Koveon Perkins said. “It's really enjoyable.”
He’s a camp counselor for the YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids’ Teen Leadership Program.
“Every time I come in, I try to figure out a way I could create a bond with the students,” Perkins said. “And I love that about my job.”
It’s a job he never expected to have at his age.
“We pride ourselves on being a great first-time employer,” Cara Klesick, talent acquisition specialist for the YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids, said. “Our CEO started as a lifeguard in the YMCA and grew his career.”
The YMCA starts hiring at 14 and says teens make a crucial part of their front-line workforce, including jobs as sports instructors, custodial workers, and in their KidZone.
“It's kind of like that next step, I would say, from babysitting,” Klesick said. “And so you're used to working one-on-one.”
For many teens, a summer job may just mean extra spending money, but Chat Patton with West Michigan Works! says that’s just a bonus.
“That's a crucial time to get the experience needed,” Patton said. “We're talking employability skills, showing up to work on time, doing your work, and listening to what needs to be done.”
Unfortunately, the U.S. Bureau of Labor expects teen unemployment to be at its highest level in years in 2025. Even popular industries for teen work, like retail and restaurants, are hiring fewer teens.
So what can teens do to secure that first job in this tight job market? Patton suggests that a good start is by thinking outside the box.
“We're starting to see in the agribusiness industry, you know, youth getting some of their first jobs as well,” Patton said.
And while the YMCA has a large applicant pool, there are ways to set yourself apart, even with little experience.
“But if you can share with us why you're interested in this work and why it matters to you, it's going to be kind of a great segue into helping find the position that works for you,” Klesick said.
And no experience is too little to prove you have what it takes to learn on the job.
“Maybe you volunteer with your church nursery, or you're doing some babysitting, or you've been on a soccer team for six years now,” Klesick said.
For Ja’Koveon, it was networking that he says helped get his foot in the door.
“I think stepping out of your comfort zone is super crucial,” Perkins said.
This experience helped him secure his current job and may someday lead to his dream career in the energy drink market.
According to Pure Michigan Talent Connect, another great way for your teen to stand out is by gathering reference letters from past volunteer activities, awards, or extracurricular activities.
Both the YMCA and West Michigan Works! have programs for teens to help identify their strengths, prepare them for interviews, and connect them with career opportunities.
