THE proportion of teenagers with a part-time job has almost halved over the last two decades, driven by "the death of the teenage Saturday job", according to a new report.

The employment rate of 16 to 17-year-olds with weekend jobs has almost halved — declining from 48.1 per cent in 1997-99 to 25.4 per cent in 2017-19.

Teenagers are being put off by "the death of the Saturday job", says new research from think thank Resolution Foundation.

For those who do have a part-time job, working hours for teenagers have fallen from nine to eight hours per week in the last 20 years.

This has fed drastically higher unemployment figures overall, according to the study. Around one in 12 working-age adults have never worked a day in their lives — a 50 per cent increase since the late 1990s.

But the study also reports that young people are more likely to focus on education and college, something North West employment bosses agree with.

Penny Applegate, from the Department for Work and Pensions, said: "Recent research by the Resolution Foundation has emphasised the year- on-year trend in the decline of youngsters taking up Saturday jobs. The main reason as the foundation says, is often caused by parents wanting their children to concentrate on homework and gain excellent qualifications."

Instead of traditional jobs, young people are looking to social media for work that can fit around their studies.

She said: “I know from my own experience young people do see things differently and don’t necessarily see the benefit of taking-up work, for example, in the local supermarket. Instead they search for success by tapping into the digital world, with the goal of being an influencer or even a bit coin trader."

But traditional jobs still have value, says Ms Applegate: "It’s important as employers are hungry for a strong work ethic and learned experience which is why the reported demise of the Saturday job is a call to action.

"Practical experience can give you the edge and really make an application stand out from the competition.

"As a work coach, I know how valuable the soft skills gained through work are to employers, and how much this influences recruitment decisions.

"And remember, it doesn’t have to be a dream career — it’s a leg up the ladder to where you want to go, with the added bonus of some extra cash. There are plenty of options which can work around studying, so get out there and take advantage."