In today's tough economy where living expenses are increasing day by day and everyone is facing financial crisis, asking someone to work for free raises fairness concerns. Unpaid internship is generally backed up by the requirement of practical experience among recent graduates and the fact that they can be less productive as compared to the employees who have some experience. I believe that completing a degree should qualify one for working in then industry.
Moreover, I also believe that companies now have made this as an excuse to exploit and get unpaid or free labour from the recent graduates.
I had discussion with Katie Greenyer and Sarah Swindell regarding similar topic, they suggested to make a decision based on the personal benefit. Would you want to work for free for a start-up? Probably not. But for a brand like Alexander McQueen? Maybe. You have to decide what can help you in future . But does doing internship in big brands really help you getting good jobs in future ? No, one can assure you that. Maybe you can end up with more unpaid internship offers.
I know a person who recently graduated from NTU and she also did 8 month internship with a brand in Nottingham and even after that she was being offered unpaid jobs and internships.
So, what are the real problems with unpaid internships?
Unpaid internships are not paying you . So, it is a privilege for those who are financial well enough to sustain their living without regular pay.
There is no guarantee to get a job even after unpaid internship. Danny Parisi states 'Paid internships lead to full-time jobs 65% of the time, while unpaid internships only 39% of the time, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers.'
Not all internships provide learning some of them are just about making coffee and doing basic things.
Under Fair Labour Standard Act, unpaid interns are not considered 'employee' of the organization, so they are not legally protected against harassment and discrimination.
For someone like me who belong from a Middle class family, putting financial burden on my parents after graduation is not an option. As an International student I have limited time here with us, post study work visa is for 2 years and during this we have to find a job which is suitable for us and prove our worth so that employer can agree to hire me on skilled worker visa. Even though I agree to do an unpaid internship along with other part time jobs, the uncertainty of paid employment after an unpaid internship is a major concern.
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