How Government Can Intervene in the "Internship Shenanigans" in Corporate SA
Sibusiso Nkosi
I am a Corporate Transformation Expert with a passion for content | Corporate Content Creator | Corporate Communication Strategist | Board/Executive Strategy Session Facilitator | Blogger
A mutually beneficial relationship between interns and employers is essential for the growth and development of both parties. For interns, these relationships provide invaluable opportunities to gain practical skills and hands-on experience in their chosen field. For employers, partnering with interns offers access to fresh perspectives, innovative ideas, and specialized skills that recent graduates bring to the table. Interns can inject new energy and creativity into projects, helping companies stay competitive in today's fast-paced business environment.
However, the employer-intern relationship is often criticized for its inherent power imbalance, with the dynamic skewed heavily in favor of the employer. A glaring example of this disparity is the contractual agreement that typically governs the internship. Employers present interns with a contract outlining the terms of the internship, including expectations, responsibilities, and limitations. However, this contract is rarely reciprocal, leaving interns without a formal mechanism to articulate their own expectations or protect their interests.
This one-sided arrangement can lead to exploitation, with interns shouldering significant responsibilities without guaranteed benefits, such as meaningful work experience, feedback, or compensation. Also, interns often lack leverage to negotiate or hold employers accountable for providing a valuable learning experience. By not having a contract to present to the employer with their clear expectations, interns are left vulnerable to unclear objectives, inadequate supervision, and unfulfilled promises. This highlights the need for greater transparency, reciprocity, and protections in internship agreements to ensure a more equitable and mutually beneficial experience.
Government should step in and I have some radical recommendations on how they can do so. I think government should Implement a system for interns to download and use enforceable Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) when they start their internship. Here's a detailed process:
Step 1: Developing the MOU Template
The government should create a standard legal MOU template outlining expectations, responsibilities, and objectives for interns. It should be an official document not from the employer, but from an intern endorsed by government.
Step 2: Website Development and Integration
The government should develop a dedicated website or portal for interns to access and download the MOU template. The website should include:
- MOU Download Section: A secure area where interns can download the MOU template.
- Guidelines and FAQs: Clear instructions on completing and using the MOU.
- Tracking System: A database to monitor MOU downloads, submissions, and employer compliance.
Step 3: Registration and Verification
Interns and employers should register on the website, providing essential information, such as:
- Intern details (name, contact information, and qualifications).
- Employer details (company name, contact information, and industry).
- Internship details (duration, objectives, and expected outcomes).
Step 4: MOU Submission and Approval
Interns and employers should submit the completed MOU for approval. The government should review and verify the MOU to ensure compliance with regulations and standards.
Step 5: Tracking and Monitoring
The government should track MOUs to ensure employers provide valuable skills and experiences to interns. This can be achieved through:
- Regular progress reports from interns and employers.
- Site visits or virtual monitoring.
- Feedback mechanisms for interns to report concerns or issues.
Step 6: Evaluation and Accountability
The government should evaluate the effectiveness of the MOU system and hold employers accountable for:
- Providing meaningful work experiences.
- Ensuring intern safety and well-being.
- Adhering to MOU terms and conditions.
Radical, but it is about time. Something has got to give.
Learning and Development Practitioner and Transformation Champion
4 个月Thank you for saying the quiet part out loud, I appreciate the inclusion of the learner in developing their expectations because it is so often thrusted upon them, young adults are more often than not treated like perpetual minor's incapable of meaningful contribution of their own self-actualization. Now where you had government, I read it as SETA, the seta's are an extension of the government that have been tasked with everything that you have detailed. Some better than others, the MOU does come from the seta however the M&E is lacking, some seta's do have portals for learners to be able to log in and see the relevant info as you have described but not all, there is a lack of consistency in the quality, delivery and systems. everything you have highlighted here speaks to those inefficiencies brilliantly and I just wish there was a tag all button for all of our 21 seta's and they can use this article as a self-assessment.