Hawaii teens and young adults are in the workforce at far lower rates than a decade ago, according to a state-by-state report on youth employment released today.

Some 48 percent of Hawaii youth ages 16 to 24 were employed in 2011, down 11 percentage points from 2000, the Annie E. Casey Foundation "Youth and Work" study found.

Nationally, 46 percent of young people in the age group were working last year — the lowest level since World War II.

The report blames the decline on greater competition for fewer jobs and says even entry-level positions are going to older workers with more experience.

It also warns there could be lasting implications for the decline in youth employment. Youth who miss out on an early work experience are more likely to be unemployed later in life and less likely to achieve higher levels of career advancement.

"Those shut out of the labor market for considerable periods, especially in the early stages of their careers, have markedly reduced prospects for later connections to jobs," the study said.

For Hawaii the decline in employment rates among young people has not translated into an uptick in the percentage of "idle youth," or those who are not working or going to school. (Nationally the percentage of idle youth is up.)

That means in the absence of jobs, young people in the islands are staying in school.

But Ivette Stern, junior specialist at the University of Hawaii’s Center on the Family, said there is still reason to be alarmed about the decline in youth employment. When young people enter the workforce, she said, often in entry-level jobs, they gain valuable employment skills and have a better chance of securing higher wages.

Stern said this is especially important for low-income youth, who have fewer opportunities.

"This is something we can’t ignore," she said. "As we look toward recovery, we have to think about this."

Economically disadvantaged youth may also need to work their way through postsecondary education. Without a job, seeking additional training may not be possible.

The biggest decline in youth employment was among teens: Just 22 percent of Hawaii’s 16- to 19-year-olds were in the workforce last year, down from 34 percent in 2000.

That’s one of the lowest rates for the age group in the nation — the national average is 26 percent.

Florida and California tied for the lowest employment rate among 16- to 19-year-olds, with 18 percent in the age group working. North Dakota had the highest employment rate among the group, 46 percent, followed by Nebraska and Iowa, both at 43 percent.

Among Hawaii’s 20- to 24-year-olds, 65 percent were in the workforce in 2011, down 3 percentage points from 2000. Nationally, 61 percent in that age group were working last year.

Maryland had the highest employment rate for the age group, 68 percent. The lowest rate was in Mississippi, 51 percent.

Stern said that while the employment rate in Hawaii for young people is down, the "idle youth" rate has stayed relatively unchanged.

About one-fifth of young adults ages 20 to 24 were idle youth in 2011, the same proportion as in 2000.

Some 13 percent of Hawaii teens from 16 to 19 were not working or going to school in 2011, down a percentage point from 2000.

"The good news is that youth are staying in school," Stern said. "The challenge is now helping those youth be successful in school and enrolling them in secondary education and training so they may be competitive in the job market."

The percentage of idle youth in Hawaii mirrored the national average.

The "Youth and Work" report was produced by the Casey Foundation’s KIDS COUNT project, which tracks trends affecting children in the United States.