Those Summertime Blues

Millions of American youths have traditionally learned how to adjust to the discipline of the working life for the first time with a summer job. Usually semiskilled and poor paying, or at the lowest professional levels, such jobs also help pay for the high cost of education. The recession, though, has made this year's the job picture murky. Opportunities are scarce in many parts of the country, but jobs are still going begging in some places.

Overall, there are probably fewer summer jobs this year than last. Companies that liked to get a first look at future job applicants during the summer have cut back the and M.B.A. students, who usually work between the first and second time of their graduate programs, are having an unusually difficult time finding employment. As a result some students are simply staying in school this summer. Duane Carter, 24, of Utah State University, was interested in applying BILLY GRIMES for an accounting internship but soon lowered his sights to look for a job in industry. He still has not found one. Says he: "I didn't expect the market to be anything like it is."

Federally funded jobs for youths are far fewer in number this summer than last. Labor Department spending on such programs is down to about $685 million this year, in contrast to almost $770 million last year. This means that 85,000 fewer teen-agers will be able to get jobs paid for by the Government.

In Boston, the local Neighborhood Development and Employment Agency, which administers federally financed employment, is offering only 2,500 positions this summer, vs. 4,000 in 1981. The Boston Private Industry Council has tried to compensate partly for that by increasing the number of jobs it offers at the minimum wage ($3.35 an hour) for 550 to 750. Two thousand young people have already applied for those positions.

Most jobs are being snapped up even at the minimum wage, but some student applicants are still picky. Says Elizabeth Mead, jobs counselor at the Boston campus of hour. University of Massachusetts: "Students will not work for $3.35 an hour. They'd rather go home and live with Mommy for the summer or go on unemployment or take a college loan."

Ronald Smith, 17, of Atlanta, though, seems to be the typical boy of summer 1982. He is desperately looking for a job to help finance his tuition at either Kentucky hiring, University or Morehouse College. But McDonald's was not hiring, and jobs at another hamburger place where he had worked were filled, mostly by adults. If all else fails, Smith will mow lawns to earn money.

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