Arizona high school students might have a tough time finding a job this summer. The competition for work in the Valley will be tight during the school break.
Some students already are filling out job applications, but finding a position won’t be easy as Arizona continues to recover from the recession.
Kimberly Faust is with the city of Phoenix Youth Workforce Development program.
“There are more positions that will be open, but youth will still have to compete with older individuals for the same positions” Faust said.
She said some companies are looking for young people to fill manufacturing and construction jobs. Faust said information technology is another hot sector, especially for students who are familiar with Word and Excel computer programs.
"Some employers are also looking for individuals who know how to put together a computer, connecting it up and doing some of the set-ups for their staff,” Faust said.
Faust said the city’s “Phoenix Youth Rise” program will pay the hourly wages of 120 people between ages 16 and 21 who are hired by Valley firms this summer.