But for millions of our young peopleparticularly young men and women of color in our citiessummer employment is primarily a story of opportunity denied.
According to 2013 data, young white men were five times more likely to have summer employment than their low-income African American peers. This summer employment gap has far-reaching consequences for our country and must be addressed.
There’s a reason why many parents want their children to get summer jobs during college or even the last years of high school. Employment helps young people discover the satisfactions and responsibilities of work. The hard and soft skills they gain are important to enduring success down the road. In some cases, summer jobs help them discover career pathways. Even internships have become crucial resume-building tools.
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