Technical information:  (202) 606-6373     USDL 96-191
                              606-6378
                                           For release:  10:00 A.M.  EDT
Media contact:                606-5902     Tuesday, May 21, 1996

           YOUTH LABOR FORCE EXPECTED TO BE SMALLER THIS SUMMER

     Each summer, large numbers of students enter the labor market in
search of temporary jobs and many graduates of high schools and colleges
obtain or look for their first permanent jobs.  This summer, the 16- to 24-
year-old labor force is expected to reach a level of 23.7 million, about
420,000 below that of last summer, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the
U.S. Department of Labor reported today.

     This expected over-the-year decline in the youth labor force stems
from declines in their population and in their anticipated rate of labor
force participation.  The youth population will be about 150,000 lower this
summer than last.  The proportion of youth in the labor force is estimated
to be 73.3 percent for the seasonal July peak, down from last year's 74.3
percent figure.

     The 16- to 24-year-old labor force is projected to increase by 3.2
million between April and July of this year. (See table.)  About 70 percent
of this increase is expected to be accounted for by students entering the
labor force for temporary summer jobs.  The remaining growth will come from
the permanent entry of high school and college graduates, many of whom were
not in the labor force while attending school.  In addition to these
entrants, many of the estimated 1.1 million graduates who were already in
the labor force in April as students (the vast majority in part-time jobs)
can be expected to shift to full-time labor market participation not only
during the summer months but also on a permanent basis.

  --------------------------------------------------
 |   This release on the projection of the youth    |
 |labor force for the summer of 1996 is the last    |
 |in what had been an annual series.  It is being   |
 |discontinued because of low user interest,        |
 |competing demands for resources, and a preference |
 |for focusing on actual survey results to describe |
 |labor market conditions rather than on short-term |
 |projections.  The annual news release on the      |
 |actual employment situation of youth during the   |
 |summer will be continued.  The release for the    |
 |summer of 1996 is scheduled to be issued in early |
 |August.                                           |
 |                                                  |
 |   Information in this release will be made       |
 |available to sensory impaired individuals upon    |
 |request.  Voice phone:  202-606-7828; TDD phone:  |
 |202-606-5897; TDD message referral phone:         |
 |1-800-326-2577.                                   |
  --------------------------------------------------

                                  - 2 -

Projected 1996 summertime level of the civilian labor force, 16 to 24
years of age

(In thousands)
_____________________________________________________________________
                               |
                               |___________16 to 24 years____________
       Month and year          | Total  |16 to 19|20 to 21|22 to 24
                               |        | years  | years  | years
_______________________________|________|________|________|__________
                               |        |        |        |
July 1996 (projected)..........| 23,681 | 9,694  | 5,401  | 8,586
April 1996 (actual)............| 20,448 | 7,252  | 4,676  | 8,520
                               |        |        |        |
Projected April-to-July        |        |        |        |
 increase......................|  3,233 | 2,442  |   725  |    66
                               |        |        |        |
1995-96 change:                |        |        |        |
  April to April (actual)......|   -383 |    15  |   126  |  -524
  July to July (projected).....|   -421 |    13  |  -131  |  -303
_____________________________________________________________________

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