All Work for No Pay

Unpaid internships are the new norm. Paid work has become an anomaly replaced by a currency of free beer and pizza, yoga classes or the highly sought after ‘foot in the door’.

In today’s competitive job market, corporate Australia regards the chance to learn and gain ‘hands-on experience’ as more valuable than money itself. As a result, undergraduates are stuck in a “perverse experience loop”. Without experience, no job and without a job, no experience.

Volunteering or profiteering?

There’s volunteering and then there’s profiteering. Using the services of undergraduates and graduates alike as a free resource is simply unjust – particularly when this work leads to profit. It’s a win-win, for the company at least. Hire a motivated undergraduate, give them the work you would, and should, pay an employee for and brand it as “a once in a lifetime opportunity.” It’s simply a shortcut to free labour.

When it comes to the employment status of an intern, the law is unclear. We should at least be working towards a standard minimum wage for interns and entrants across the board. It’s a simple return on investment. Hire an employee and pay them for their work. Your return? A loyal employee who feels appreciated and motivated to continue producing quality work.

This flawed human resources strategy also limits a company’s talent pool. Students who can’t support themselves are automatically ruled out of unpaid internships. This leaves the more privileged students to get a leg up in today’s elusive job market.

Get Your Foot in the Door

The unpaid internship has now become the default way to start a professional career in Australia. The expensive tertiary degree doesn’t cut it. Undergraduates are expected to populate their CV with a role aligned to their chosen career track. When it comes to entering the job market, substantial experience in relevant fields is imperative.

And if you can’t secure an unpaid internship, there’s now a whole new market for interns to pay for their internship. With fees up to $1000, undergraduates are paying to be placed in internship programs. While some programs point the blame at universities for producing ill-prepared graduates, the question as to why undergraduates should pay for an unpaid internship looms large.

The Opportunity

There are genuine opportunities that can emerge from these types of roles. Many interns have reported high satisfaction with their unpaid experiences. Having an internship provides exposure to industries and skills you wouldn’t normally gain in the classroom. But one must really ask the question, “is getting your name out there worth more than getting paid?”

Despite the potential career benefits, there needs to be greater clarity and certainty around the role. Do away with the millennial remunerations and give interns realistic expectations. After all, it's in a company’s best interest to pay their interns. As the talent wars persist, companies are vying to attract the best talent. At Connect Media we've experienced first-hand the benefits of paying talented interns for their work.

We need to call out employers who actively take advantage of young people who are just starting out. For the benefit of all industries, let’s hope we see the paid internship become the new prerequisite.