Youth worker statistics show rise in third quarter

MAT-SU -- Alaska Economic Trends, a publication put out by the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development, recently released statistics on Alaska's youth workers, ages 14 to 17. While legal restrictions on the types of jobs and the hours of employment for 14-to 17-year-old workers limit their employment, 43 percent of all Alaskans in that age group worked at least one quarter during 2001.

Of that 43 percent, 78 percent of those workers worked during the third quarter, compared to less than 34 percent working in the first quarter. The report said this was to be expected, because of the school summer break during the third quarter. Interestingly, 60 percent of the 14- to 17-year olds worked during the second quarter, and more than 56 percent worked in the fourth quarter.

Food preparation and service workers ranked as the highest occupation for youth workers, claiming 13 percent of all youth employment. Retail sales ranked second at 9 percent, and cashiers ranked third at 5 percent. The top three private sector employees in 2001 for that age group were Safeway, McDonald's and K-Mart. Alaskans in that age group earned more than $50 million in 2001.

Of the youth workers in Alaska, just below 8 percent live and work in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough. They make up 7.6 percent of all-aged workers in the borough, and .39 percent of all-aged workers in the state. The population estimate for all 14- to 17-year olds Alaska residents in 2001 was 43,815.