It seems like a majority of employers require some sort of internship experience before hiring someone for an entry-level position. Never mind the countless course credits students must complete to obtain their degree. If an applicant doesn’t have a hearty resume, they’ll have a harder time getting a job after graduation. While the idea of hiring someone with field experience is favorable, it overlooks those that don’t have the financial privilege of having an unpaid internship.
About 43.3 percent of internships are still unpaid, according to the National Association of College and Employers. That means nearly half of everyone with an internship is not getting paid for their labor. It would be different if unpaid internships were limited to a couple hours a week or a minimal amount of weeks, but many of them expect interns to dedicate time similar to that of a full-time job.
Ten percent of individuals in the middle class participated in an unpaid internship, whereas only three percent of the working-class did, according to a 2012 poll conducted by the National Union of Students. This demonstrates a clear divide between social classes in terms of unpaid internships, which makes it much more difficult for social mobility.
While some may argue that unpaid interns are getting compensated with “experience” and “connections,” not everyone can afford to choose these opportunities over actual paying jobs that help them pay their bills. Those who have no choice but to work for money are practically punished when they apply for careers since employers will likely choose an applicant with internship experience over them. Employers should, but don’t always, consider the unfair advantage that unpaid interns had in being financially supported by family while others had to work to support themselves.
Most internships require people to go through long application processes similar to job applications, requiring applicants to find the time to fill forms out, research the company and attend interviews. Not everyone can afford to rearrange their schedules for these processes that don’t even provide financial compensation in the future. Additionally, some internships require relocation and transportation but don’t provide these amenities to their interns.
One would think that unpaid internships have strict regulations to ensure that interns aren’t being taken advantage of for the chance at getting a leg up in their career field, but unfortunately, this is not the case. Although the Department of Labor created the “primary beneficiary test” in an attempt to protect interns under the Fair Labor Standards Act, courts are notorious for regarding it as “flexible,” allowing employers to find loopholes and justify unfair labor practices, as stated on the DOL website.
Most of the seven factors that make up the primary beneficiary test mention the educational aspect of internships. Employers may interpret these clauses as justifiers for exploiting their unpaid interns since they believe the education and skills received through this experience is well worth it. Instead, educational institutions should be responsible for such development. After all, students are paying hundreds of thousands of dollars to get an education, so it only makes sense for them to cover internships as well.
Unpaid internships are a way for employers to exploit people eager for a career while simultaneously discounting those who may be just as eager and qualified but aren’t as financially privileged. As a collective society, we need to advocate for more-inclusive internship opportunities with financial compensation. One’s financial status shouldn’t prevent them from pursuing certain internships, and everyone should be financially compensated for their labor.