After a bleak summer-job market in 2020, when the pandemic wiped out millions of jobs, this year teenagers are having their best season in decades. To provide a snapshot of the roles they've been filling, From Day One’s summer intern McKenzie Krow talked with teen workers and their employers in her home neighborhood of Middlesex County, N.J. Her report:

At a time when U.S. companies have been desperately seeking workers, it was teenagers who answered the call this summer. Rachelle Estinvil, a high-school student from Woodbridge, N.J., couldn’t find a job at all last year, but this summer she found employment as a cashier at an ice-cream parlor. “I was looking for a simple job to introduce me to the workforce because I have never had a job before,” she said. “I was looking for something lenient that could accommodate my tight track schedule during the summer, that wouldn’t be too difficult.” Tipped off by a friend about the job opening, Estinvil found that it perfectly suited her needs. She has been using her earnings primarily for spending money, but hopes to put some of it away some for college.

Like Estinvil, teenagers across the U.S. have been helping fill much-needed gaps in the labor market, especially in restaurants and retail stores. In May, 33.2% of teens ages 16 to 19 were in the workforce, the highest since the Great Recession year of 2008, the Associated Press reported. Meanwhile, their unemployment rate was the lowest since 1953. With so much demand for their labor, teens were not only finding jobs that suited them, but also getting higher wages and even signing bonuses. “There are still so many employment opportunities and there are jobs that remain unfilled,” said Karen Barnes, president of Woodbridge Township’s Chamber of Commerce.

At the Kiddie Keep Well Camp in Edison, N.J., camp director Sarah Cruz said she often struggles to fill the gaps. “We have enough camp counselors to get through the summer, but we are short-supplied in the kitchen. The kitchen staff is often working overtime,” she said. The camp, which provides services for underprivileged children, has benefited from the enthusiasm of teen workers, though it needs more older counselors. “Teen counselors are often more eager to apply, simply because it is most likely their first job,” she said. All told, she is heartened by the work ethic of her young employees, who are “willing to go above and beyond, in terms of creativity.”

The situation is a huge improvement from the summer of 2020, when the stricken U.S. economy and the lack of vaccinations not only shut down businesses, but made teenagers and their parents wary of the kinds of front-line roles that teens often fill. Cristina and Caitlin McNish, both high-school varsity soccer players in Woodbridge, had been actively hunting for summer jobs early in 2020. “I was looking for a seasonal job that would help occupy my time along with our busy soccer schedules,” Cristina said. But then came Covid-19. “Our parents completely shut that idea down. Realistically, working during the pandemic was not going to work with our family dynamic, especially having high-risk family members.”

This summer Cristina works at the front desk of her community swimming pool, while Caitlin found a job at a smoothie shop. “Our parents are much more comfortable now than a year ago,” said Cristina. Even so, with the Delta variant taking hold and sometimes-lax enforcement of vaccination and masking requirements, teens have had to navigate anxiety-producing situations. At times, said Cristina, she “wished there were more special rules.”

While many teens have taken jobs that fit their short-term needs, others have pursued roles within their long-term career interests. Kohav Dantara, a high-school junior from the town of West Windsor, found a job as an intern for New Jersey’s U.S. representative for the 12th Congressional district, Bonnie Watson Coleman, which has proven well-suited to his interest in public policy. “I felt it would be a great way for me to make an impact on society, no matter how small or big. The learning aspect of it gives you a whole new scope on real-world issues,” he said. “I see that I’ve developed many different skills.”

Mehr Narula, a high-school junior from West Windsor, found an internship in the HR department of a mortgage company. “I was looking for something that would align with the career I hope to pursue in Human Resources," said Narula. All of her extracurricular activities, in fact, “align with what I hope to do,” said Narula, who is a member of many clubs in her school and serves as president of its Culture and Climate Club, which is dedicated to creating a positive school environment.

Narula credits her regional school district, West-Windsor Plainsboro, for providing ample opportunities for its students. “My resume and work experience that the district has been able to provide me has helped,” she said. “Regardless of Covid-19’s impact on employment, making connections and networking is important in terms of putting yourself out there when it comes to looking for jobs and climbing your career ladder.”

The teen-worker surge has one problem for employers, however. Most of these seasonal workers will be going back to school, and business owners are already looking for other solutions.

McKenzie Krow is a high-school junior from New Jersey, currently attending Cheshire Academy in Connecticut. She has pursued many writing opportunities and has a strong interest in law and public policy.