Tennessee's unemployment rate is 9.6 percent, almost double what it was a year ago. That means this may be a tough summer for teenagers to find work.
A federally funded summer jobs program for Tennessee already has far more applicants than it can handle.
Macey Smith is an intern at an agency that helps teens like her who were once in foster care. By summer, she hopes to have an $8 an hour job, one funded with federal stimulus money.
"I think it's a really great thing," said Smith, "because a lot of teenagers are looking for a job. A lot. "
Tennessee is getting $25 million for a youth summer jobs program. Although the jobs don't start until June, there are already twice as many applicants as there are jobs.
"Just in a short period of time, a couple of weeks, a number of those programs already have waiting lists. Nashville has one, and Memphis has got one," said Labor Commissioner Jim Neely.
The Tennessee Department of Labor said the number of unemployed youth has more than doubled in the last two years: It's now at 45,000 statewide.
To qualify for the stimulus jobs, the teens have to be 14 to 24 years old and low-income, plus have one or more barriers to employment, such as being a school dropout, homeless, a runaway or, like Macey, a former foster child.
"I am just really excited about it," said Pam Cash, whose agency Youth Connections will help place 45 teens in summer jobs -- some at the Department of Safety, others at state parks or local businesses like HCA.
"You have so many people out looking for jobs, and even the fast-food jobs have become competitive," Cash said. "So for our youth, this is just a great, great program."
The local governments and businesses don't have to pay the workers; the federal government does. Neely said it's a boon to agencies and companies who have had to downsize because of the economy.
Tennessee is getting a total of $25 million for youth summer jobs. Nearly $3 million of that will be shared among young people in Davidson, Rutherford, Trousdale and Wilson counties.
