Return to the Latest

Young Invincibles’ Statement on February 2014 Jobs Report

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
March 7, 2014

Contact: Rae Roca, Rae.roca@younginvincibles.org, 202.378.3526

Young Invincibles’ Statement on February Jobs Report

Young Adults Continue to Struggle Through Stagnant Job Market

[WASHINGTON, DC] – The economy added 175,000 jobs in February 2014, but young workers are still far behind. The unemployment rate for 18- to 29-year-olds rose slightly from 11.3 to 11.4 percent (not seasonally adjusted) – and remains well above the overall unemployment rate of 6.7 percent. Unemployment rates also ticked up slightly for the youngest workers ages 16 to 24, rising from 14.2 percent in January to 14.4 percent in February.

Rory O’ Sullivan, Policy and Research Director of Young Invincibles said, “Young adults are tired of the dismal unemployment reports and are ready for our legislators to invest in our future. Instead of costing taxpayers billions of dollars by ignoring unemployed young workers, Congress should invest in job training programs and apprenticeships that will reconnect our generation to the workforce.”

Here is more information on how different populations of young people fared in February 2014:

* The unemployment rate for Black young adults ages 16 to 24 in February is 23.5 percent compared to 26.2 percent in January (not seasonally adjusted).

*The unemployment rate for young men ages 16 to 24 in February is 16.1 percent compared to 15.4 percent in January (not seasonally adjusted).

*The unemployment rate for young Latino young adults ages 16 to 24 in February is 15.7 percent compared to 15.5 percent in January (not seasonally adjusted).

*The unemployment rate for young women ages 16 to 24 in February is 12.6 percent compared to 13 percent in January (not seasonally adjusted).

For more information, visit younginvincibles.org.

###

Young Invincibles is a national organization committed to amplifying the voices of young adults, ages 18 to 34, and expanding economic opportunity for our generation. Young Invincibles ensures that young adults are represented in today’s most pressing societal debates through cutting-edge policy research and analysis, and innovative campaigns designed to educate, inform and mobilize our generation to change the status quo.