The role of an intern is not new – in fact student interns
work closely with their academic supervisor and a participating organization
for years. What is new is how this role
is changing due to the external environment – “hard times/recession”. When times are tough employers are using this
tactic of “Unpaid Internship” inappropriately as free labour versus
participating with academia in a supporting/community service role.
Talented graduates need employment – hell - a worker a Tim
Horton’s or McDonalds is valued more as they are paid minimum wage. We have employment laws in this country and
the little loophole is being exploited. Students
today are actively seeking a paying summer job, and sadly, the incentive is for
them to find employment in the service industry - the loss befalls to you. You will not experience the talent that they
offer and you are only delaying their work experience. Think
about this: Would you rather hire a
graduate with specific work experience or one who worked their way through
school by working at a bar/restaurant because they could not afford to take an
unpaid internship? Employers are missing
the opportunity to see and enrich the student.
Remember back to when you were a college/university student….. And how good did it feel to land a summer
job!
Value those who are bettering themselves and pay them to
provide value to your business.
Yes Rhonda, Yes! Im at the forefront of this problem now in that two thirds of the job listing I come across on Indeed, SimplyHired or Talent Egg have the worst possible ending, "This is an Unpaid Internship". I understand that, as an employer there is cause to value real-world experience over purely theory based knowledge. But exploiting students who are in the often-reoccurring vulnerable position of needing work experience is ridiculous. It sends the message that right now, after the X number of years of school and related training, your time and effort is effectively worth nothing. Suffice it to say I, and many other students, are just a little frustrated with the situation.
ReplyDeleteSincerely
- SOMEONE HIRE ME!
Its about time ethical business and post-secondary institutions stood up to these abhorent practices. When will business recognize that you get exactly what you pay for -- do they really think they get the best from an intern who recongnizes they're being exploited. Does the business want to be known as an exploiter? And for those institutions that support unpaid internships by arranging through "co-op" placements..., is this the value you put on your students in the marketplace?
ReplyDeleteAs Rhonda states, working as an unpaid intern is worse than counter help at Tims. At least at Tims and McD if a worker is injured or harmed on the job, they have various levels of protection and insurance -- as an unpaid intern, the student takes all the risk. See how much you're worth if you're injured or put the company in jeopardy -- companies love to keep interns around so long as they don't cost them anything, but God help them if something happens where there is a cost and see how much they want to invest in an intern.