A new report says the number of West Virginia teens and young adults who are unemployed and aren't in school is rising.

The KIDS COUNT report released Monday says 40 percent of West Virginians ages 16 to 24 held a job in 2011. That's down from 53 percent in 2000. About 50 percent of young people nationally were employed in 2011, compared to 60 percent in 2000.

According to the report, these young people face growing competition from older workers for entry-level jobs. They also don't have the skills required for available well-paying jobs.

The report recommends developing a national youth employment strategy, employer-sponsored earn-and-learn programs, and aligning resources to create collaborative efforts to support youth.