Amid an adult labor shortage, teens are snatching up lucrative gigs.Emma Kim/Getty Images While many adult workers have bowed out of the workforce, teens have jumped in eagerly. The teen unemployment rate this year reached the lowest figures since the 1950s. Teens told Insider their job searches have been quick and led to higher-paying jobs. Dana Graham, 18, realized something last year when activities halted and school went online: She had a lot more free time on her hands. So the Silver Spring, Maryland-based student started looking for a job — a trend that would only grow with teens across the US a year later.16- to 19-year-olds were one of the worst-hit age groups in the labor market during last year's recession.