Paid vs. Unpaid Internships
Joe on September 22nd, 2010 | Filed under Business
Completing an internship is a large part of the college experience, and an essential part of getting a job after graduation. With so many students looking for internships and so many employers requiring them, internships have really come to the forefront of newspaper and television reports. Most recently it is not the paid internships that have people talking, like Southwestern Company. News releases from many of the top media circuits have questioned the legality of unpaid internships .
The biggest problem that most people have with unpaid internships is that, while the student is gaining experience, they are essentially giving the company free labor. Some consider this a free trade off but opponents argue that it puts many students at disadvantage. Most students can’t afford to do an unpaid internship. There are some top internships that they wouldn’t be able to do simply because they don’t have someone supporting them and paying all of their expenses while they work for free.
Paid internships, like those at Southwestern company put everyone on equal footing. The company benefits from their work and the students are compensated in return.
With many companies struggling financially right now it is easy to see the benefit of hiring unpaid interns; however, the U.S. Department of Labor has been stepping up enforcement and regulation of unpaid internships so that students aren’t taken advantage of.
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