What's your opinion on unpaid internships?

[Brownstone]

Also, how many of ya'll have actually had internships?

 

[Mark Antony]

Interns will give you as much as you give them to do. They can be very productive, contribute and some lock in roles at that moment, it's just some people are terrible intern managers and leave them to just sit there and twiddle their thumbs. These are still kids.

 

[cosmiccoffee9]

man **** it, unfin.

I used to work where they're always hiring once upon a time and they paid me to TRAIN.

to watch videos on LOADING BOXES.

I don't know a less "skilled" gig than that.

they paid me and all incoming employees just for our time because it is directly valuable to them for us to know what we are doing.

pay people for their finite hours.

refin.

 

[RustyShackleford]

Also, how many of ya'll have actually had internships?

Between undergrad and masters, I have had eight.

Got paid for every single one

 

[Brownstone]

Between undergrad and masters, I have had eight.

Got paid for every single one

Not 8 but as have I. My only point is I wasn't exactly working on ground breaking work and despite being an excellent performer was overpaid in every case.

 

[igotthatstock]

okay but that's the same thing with anyone you bring into your company and with turnover costs it behooves YOU to hire well.

if they don't do what you pay them for, stop.

the time/labor of any employee makes your business more profitable...you run an income venture not a community soup kitchen.

you get labor AND profit.

the employee gets experience AND money.

this is the employment structure.

people's time and attention cost.

fin.

Did you intend to prove my point? I am providing internships to people for them, not me. I don't view them as productive members of my team and any contribution is a plus. I work in a highly competitive field and jobs are already scarce to begin with. I have a list a mile long of people who would love to come work for my company.

This idea that someone shouldn't be able to voluntarily offer the experience to someone who voluntarily chooses to work for the experience instead of pay is a foreign concept to me. We can do what we want around here.

 

[RustyShackleford]

Not 8 but as have I. My only point is I wasn't exactly working on ground breaking work and despite being an excellent performer was overpaid in every case.

Ok, And? Good for you.

I felt I was underpaid at some of my positions. There is a flip side.

IMO people should be paid for their labor

If we lived in a world of cheap post-secondary education, robust wage growth, lower barriers of entry for entry levels jobs, workers having more market power; if the long-term benefits greater outweighed the short-term sacrifice, then I think the case for unpaid internships would be stronger.

Unfortunately, we don't live in that world. Firms possess so much market power now, I think the least they can do is pay people for their labor.

 

[HankHill]

All my internships were paid. $8k for the summer. I was in a STEM program though. I feel like unpaid internships are usually for the liberal arts crowd.

 

[tomdiginson]

Also, how many of ya'll have actually had internships?

I worked 4 back in the day.

 

[cosmiccoffee9]

Did you intend to prove my point? I am providing internships to people for them, not me. I don't view them as productive members of my team and any contribution is a plus. I work in a highly competitive field and jobs are already scarce to begin with. I have a list a mile long of people who would love to come work for my company.

This idea that someone shouldn't be able to voluntarily offer the experience to someone who voluntarily chooses to work for the experience instead of pay is a foreign concept to me. We can do what we want around here.

I mean...then don't.

nobody's mandating you give factory tours.

if you see value in someone's employment, employ them...if not, don't. that's all my beef.

anything else you do is...your business.

 

[Mark Antony]

If you don't view them as productive why entertain even unpaid ones and use training hours and paid employees time?

 

[Based Jesus]

This whole "I'm a benevolent benefactor" angle is weird because if you really were you'd have no problem paying them...

 

[uncalled4boy]

Also, how many of ya'll have actually had internships?

My First Gig Out Of College Was An Internship. Was Paid For It And They Ended Up Hiring Me Full Time Within 2 Months Working There.

I Wouldnt Have Been Able To Survive Off An Opportunity If I Wasnt Financially Compensated.

Hell I Had Jobs From 9th Grade Up Getting Paid, I Couldnt Imagine Being Offered An Opportunity To Work For Free, I'd Feel Insulted.

 

[RustyShackleford]

Did you intend to prove my point? I am providing internships to people for them, not me. I don't view them as productive members of my team and any contribution is a plus. I work in a highly competitive field and jobs are already scarce to begin with. I have a list a mile long of people who would love to come work for my company.

This idea that someone shouldn't be able to voluntarily offer the experience to someone who voluntarily chooses to work for the experience instead of pay is a foreign concept to me. We can do what we want around here.

 

[heatpinoyboy]

I don't believe in unpaid internships. One semester I got an internship in government and worked 25-30 hours a week only to get a signed copy of the House rep's book and a $10 subway giftcard lol

I think there can be some exceptions too though...some non profits just can't afford internships like that and are trying to fill in that gap by having as a robust intern experience as possible. For the most part though most of these for profits should be paying they interns.

 

[igotthatstock]

I mean...then don't.

nobody's mandating you give factory tours.

if you see value in someone's employment, employ them...if not, don't. that's all my beef.

anything else you do is...your business.

I think you are failing to see how valuable the experience is to people. Especially as we move away from traditional schooling, these internships are going to be more and more valuable. As I said before, give me hands-on experience all day over a bookworm.

 

[RustyShackleford]

I don't believe in unpaid internships. One semester I got an internship in government and worked 25-30 hours a week only to get a signed copy of the House rep's book and a $10 subway giftcard lol

I think there can be some exceptions too though...some non profits just can't afford internships like that and are trying to fill in that gap by having as a robust intern experience as possible. For the most part though most of these for profits should be paying they interns.

 

[uncalled4boy]

I think you are failing to see how valuable the experience is to people. Especially as we move away from traditional schooling, these internships are going to be more and more valuable. As I said before, give me hands-on experience all day over a bookworm.

How Much Food Can Experience Put On The Table?

 

[heatpinoyboy]

I didn't even mention the worst part. In my time there they forged the hell out of the Rep's signature to sign congratulatory letters and such...so when I got the signed book I was like, "Really? You think you can con ME too???"

 

[DCAllAfrican]

I don't believe in unpaid internships. One semester I got an internship in government and worked 25-30 hours a week only to get a signed copy of the House rep's book and a $10 subway giftcard lol
.

Valuable experience you couldn't get from a book.

 

[igotthatstock]

How Much Food Can Experience Put On The Table?

Eventually, it can buy you a table and a house to put it in and a stocked fridge.

 

[uncalled4boy]

Eventually, it can buy you a table and a house to put it in and a stocked fridge.

Eat When The Internship And Experience Are Complete, Got It.

 

[cosmiccoffee9]

I think you are failing to see how valuable the experience is to people. Especially as we move away from traditional schooling, these internships are going to be more and more valuable. As I said before, give me hands-on experience all day over a bookworm.

it is valuable, just like vacation days and healthcare and tax rebates and stock options.

all of these can be combined with cash.

besides, offering paid internships also affords you access to the top upcoming talent so your business can outpace competitors.

this is not an altruistic outreach effort on any level, it is an exchange of mutual interest.

if your business model is more sound through uncompensated labor just say that.

 

[ahat]

While it’s not much it’s at least enough to cover the cost of transportation and lunch.

It would suck to literally pay to work for someone else.

In Toronto (Ontario) minimum wage is $14

Canada wide is $11

14/hr aint **** man. Folks not getting by on that

You see how much taxes they take? F the cra

 

[QU!K]

14/hr aint **** man. Folks not getting by on that

You see how much taxes they take? F the cra

While I agree, and they should have upped it to $15 before Ford kiboshed that.

Better than paying transportation and food to work for someone else.