Adolescent Transitions into Employment: When a Job is Not Just a Job

by Leventhal, T.,  Graber, J.A., & Brooks-Gunn, J.

Center For Children and Families, Teachers College, Columbia University

The antecedents and consequences of adolescent employment were investigated in a sample of 230 low income, African American youth who have been followed since birth. The youth (M age at adolescence = 16 and M age at young adulthood = 19) were the first-born children of African American teenage mothers who gave birth in Baltimore in the 1960's. Analyses examined the predictors and correlates of the stability of employment during adolescence and age of entry into employment. In addition, the association of adolescent work experiences with subsequent young adult education and employment were considered. Findings indicate that among low income youth, those with better academic skills and less history of familial disadvantage were more likely to work stably during adolescence and entered the work force at earlier ages. These youth were also more likely to complete high school than their non-working peers. Furthermore, employment during the adolescent years was linked to employment in early young adulthood. These findings suggest that adolescent employment and its connection to education and subsequent opportunities may be quite different among low income youth than has been previously reported in samples of predominately white, middle class youth.