Working for Free…The Reality of Unpaid Internships
April 13, 2010 | Todd G.
I came across this excellent article from Frances Tobin over at Politics Daily about unpaid internships. Referring to an article in the New York Times, Ms. Tobin tells us about a recent issue that came up with regard to Atlantic Media’s intern policy. The company soon reversed their policy and retroactively paid the interns that worked for them, but it brought up a not-too-much-talked-about trend related to internships.
Are unpaid internships fair? What kinds of rules govern companies who employ college kids for free? Ms. Tobin goes into some detail about the practice (with some great research and statistics!), and it brought up my own experience with an unpaid internship that I nabbed when I was just out of high school.
My internship didn’t pay, though later they provided me with gas money and it soon evolved into a position. It was difficult for me to get by considering I was also going to school at the time. But I cannot stress how important that internship has been to my career. Fortunately, I was able to work at the company, but I can imagine those who do not have the financial stability to work for free for a time. I have been told that many places require you to obtain class credit for your internship, but I have also known plenty of people who have interned for free without getting credit.
I happen to be of the opinion that unpaid internships are the modern-day apprenticeships. They provide you with connections in the industry you want to be in and valuable real world experience. I think common sense regulations should be in place so kids are not exploited by employers, but I think we should certainly not eliminate a company’s right to take on workers who wish to work for free. For those who cannot afford to do this, perhaps companies can arrange for the internship to be combined with other work at the company that would be paid. Or maybe companies can create foundations that provide income to interns from low-income families who apply for assistance.
Definitely get over to Politics Daily and take a look at the article. It’s fascinating stuff and covers a topic that people are not discussing enough. And that’s your cue to discuss further below!
Another issue is that some students must work for pay in order to support themselves. How, then, do they compete in an unpaid internship market? Cases where internships are unpaid include for nonprofit organizations that simply cannot budget for interns and start-up companies with little or no revenue. the question becomes how do we create an opportunity for all students in these positions?