While the unemployment rate for young people has always tended to be well above the average, this tendency has been greatly accentuated in recent years. There is a large turnover in the youth labour force, and the employment of experience of those between the ages of eighteen and twenty-five has been marked by seasonal variations. This study discusses the factors which contribute to the high youth unemployment rate, examines the historical record of labout force participation, and provides some projections into the future.