For decades, one of the most coveted positions to be earned as a student is that of an intern. Internships are often critical to gaining real work experience alongside professionals who can act as great connections in the future.
That being said, in today’s job market, students can no longer afford to undertake unpaid internships. With prices steadily rising for tuition, housing, groceries and other necessities, one’s time has become the most valuable form of money.
While working experience is often a requirement for post-grad upper division jobs, it’s becoming increasingly difficult for students to spend their precious time working unpaid.
According to a 2023 article published by StandOut CV, “Two in five (40%) internships in the U.S. are unpaid, meaning there will be up to 1.66 million unpaid interns in America in 2023.”
Though there are little statistics available on the amount of unpaid internships offered two decades ago compared to today, it’s undeniable that the student attitude has begun to shift gears.
Bella Blackstone, a senior University of Idaho student pursuing a degree in psychology and sociology, feels that as the economy has shifted, so have student expectations and needs.
“Most students today are not financially privileged enough to not be paid for work for an extended period of time, and former students from previous generations did not have many of the same concerns,” Blackstone stated.
For students who support themselves financially, the time spent at an internship equates to a part-time or full-time job. When that responsibility is added onto a steady semester of coursework, when else is there time for a student to earn livable wages?
According to statistics provided by Indeed, the average hourly pay for internships that offer compensation is $20.23. Although the majority of internships operate on a 12- to 18-week basis, this rate would equate to a $40,000 salary — $20,000 less than the average American salary, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics in an article by StandOut CV.
Though financial compensation is what many students are seeking in exchange for their time, there are other opportunities for employers to help support their interns. Blackstone notes that an internship can offer a variety of incentives outside of a fixed hourly rate to help ease the financial burden many students face.
“While the experience gained is important, people should be compensated for their work in one way or another,” Blackstone continued. “This could be in the form of minimum wage pay checks, stipends, provided housing or academic credit(s).”
An internship, regardless of pay, used to be an opportunity students would fight tooth and nail for. While they’re still a coveted opportunity for many, an increasing number of students no longer have the option to choose between unpaid experience and a full-time paid position.
Nick Harrison, the chief executive of U.K. based education and social mobility charity, Sutton Trust, sees the problem clearly.
“Internships are an increasingly critical route into the best jobs, and it’s shocking that in this day and age, many employers still pay interns below the minimum wage, or worse, nothing at all. They should be ashamed,” Harrison claims in a press release by Sutton Trust.
What one stands to gain from an internship is often priceless in experience and connections, but it doesn’t take away the fact that at the end of the day, bills need to get paid. Employees across the board, intern or not, deserve to be compensated for the time they dedicate to the job.
Paige Wilton can be reached at [email protected].