Is An Unpaid Internship Truly Ethical?

An intern, without doubt comes in bottom place on the workplace food chain. If there were anything lower than the bottom rung of a ladder, they would be on it. As a result, the duties usually associated with internships reflect the basement level of responsibilities given such as making the tea, fetching and carrying and generally doing all of the other chores nobody else wants to do.

So, what is an internship?
An internship has long been thought of as an alternative way to get a foot in the door of a career or chosen industry. They were created to provide valuable experience which can be added to a CV. The positions are unpaid but the experience is expected to reap the fruits of the labour, in the hope of a full-time position.

Is it really ethical to make someone work without pay?
From an employers point of view, yes. They most likely have a list of applicants begging for the chance to work for nothing, so they see absolutely no reason why they should jeopardise this arrangement by offering payment.

In many cases, employers do not even offer academic credits for the work completed. This means that the position really could be a voluntary slot with just a mention on a CV to compensate for the time put in.

An internship gives the employer the advantage to hire a highly motivated and intelligent person without even having to pay minimum wage! No matter which way you look at it, the employer definitely has all of the advantages.

How long can an internship last for?
Depends, some pan out for three months, some six or more. But the question remains as to how long voluntary work can be classed as experience and not exploited unpaid labour.

It is not just a case of working for nil per hour which is an unattractive incentive but many students have the added expense of high travel costs to/from the workplace. Add to this, the cost of lunch every day and there is a small fortune accruing based on a chance, lead or hope.

This means that many students are forced to find internships in their hometown rather than further afield or abroad. Housing costs along with all of the other expenses would not even make this an option. This is a shame as many miss out on the exciting and most dynamic companies. London, for example, is one of the most desired locations but is just a dream for so many. Part-time internships are difficult enough but those that require a five day commitment are even more debilitating as they leave little time for paid work such as babysitting, bar work or waitressing.

There is also the irony of the experience offered. Learning an entire restaurant menu by heart and sweeping the floor hardly matches the skills needed for an entry level job in a similar position.

The aim of an internship from the point of view of a student is to climb that proverbial ladder as quickly as possible. They never question the amount of menial chores that they are expected to do for fear of being dismissed. The mere opportunity of being able to work in a top fashion house or banking establishment is more than enough to stop them uttering a word against any of the duties that they are asked to do.

It is understandable that non-profit organizations are unable to offer any form of recompense but for companies with healthy turnarounds, there is no reason why a small salary could not be offered.