Two types of workers: The paid and the unpaid?

Dave says:

08:13am | 31/08/12

And why should it be illegal for a company to offer an internship to someone outside of a university environment?

If someone feels that the time invested in an unpaid role is worth it (for the valuable skills they may learn), why should your view of “exploitation” prevent them from having that option?

Nic says:

09:11am | 31/08/12

Because if they don’t pay the staff then they’re just exploiting them for free labour. It ends up being bad for everyone, same as we can see Slave Labour ruined a lot of historical societies and how we can see cheap illegal labour in some parts of America drives down wages for everyone.

Far as I’m aware internships work as such

If you do something that adds value to the company, you must be paid.
If you do something that doesn’t add value but just teaches you about the job, no pay needed.
The example given was something about an intern learning about the railway network by organizing train carriages via crane when they were un-used.

All I know is my friend is Interning at Google for 3 months and being paid $40k for it.

Bec says:

01:50pm | 31/08/12

As someone who has just entered the workforce from uni (and put a damn lot of effort into doing so), I would hate to see internships that aren’t university-linked become illegal. Yes, they exploit you for free labour, but most people would be happy to be exploited if it would increase their chances of getting a real job.

Admiral Ackbar says:

10:47am | 31/08/12

I’ve gotta say, you’re on a bit of a role these past few days. Respect.

nihonin says:

11:25am | 31/08/12

Thanks Admiral, sometimes it’s easier just to take the piss out of or make a comical comment, to some of these opinions.

Admiral Ackbar says:

12:00pm | 31/08/12

Oh I hear ya, it’s how I roll

nihonin says:

07:55am | 31/08/12

Agree acotrel, the government introduced a tax for breathing, something my parents and their friends use to joke about way back when I was a kid.

Babylon says:

07:59am | 31/08/12

We have slavery, except its called 457 Visa holder and they are low paid but rewarded later with residency.

Dave says:

08:11am | 31/08/12

I never realised all those volunteers were actually slaves! Dear God!

Jo says:

10:10am | 31/08/12

From memory I think interns in Australia must be paid a nominal amount in order to be covered for OHS reasons.

But overseas unpaid internships are amazingly common, and not just in the US.

Nice for those who can afford it.

Al says:

10:25am | 31/08/12

In depends on a number of things on whether they have to be paid or not.
It comes down to whether they are actualy employees.
If it is an Internship that is a requirement of their course of study, or a placement organised via and education institution (Work Experience) or genuine voulenteer work then they are not considered an employee.
The longer they do work the more likely it is they would actualy be an employee rather than a ‘Vocational placement, work experience or genuine voulantary work’.
Try this site:

http://www.fairwork.gov.au/pay/student-placement-and-unpaid-work/pages/student-placements-work-experience-and-internships.aspx

Admiral Ackbar says:

11:05am | 31/08/12

This may be a noob question but what’s the difference between work experience and an internship? The girl Dan talks about in the article was whinging about not being paid as an intern for 3 months, but like Daniel I worked for years unpaid in the field I ultimately wanted a career in while all my income for ramen noodles and an xbox live gold membership came from working hospitality for four years on weekends. I thought this was the norm, and would never have been expected to be paid for what was in my eyes, just a continuation of my studies. Why would someone pay me when I don;t know anything yet?

Al says:

03:08pm | 31/08/12

Admiral Ackbar - Generaly:
Work Experience = Organised via a secondary education institution, not specific to a course of study.
Internship = Organised as a requirement of a Tertiary course of study to gain experience in the industry related to their course of study.
However there are other uses for the phrase ‘Internship’, some of whom are actualy employees and required to be paid, and some who are not considered employees.

ibast says:

11:00am | 31/08/12

Whilst I agree that getting 6 months worth of work out of someone for nothing is exploitation, I can tell you getting someone in for two weeks is a lot of time, effort and distraction on the employers part and provides very little benefit for the company.

As noted above, my company does pay interns and I personally support that, but they tend to come for 6 months at a time.  If someone approached me for 2 weeks worth of payed internship, I’d be very disinclined to take them up on it.

Gomez12 says:

12:07pm | 31/08/12

Migraine,

It’s not as cut and dried as that. As someone who was responsible for mentoring an intern over a greater than 6 month period (this was a paid internship, and arranged through the university as a part of the course, so all completely above board, no exploitation whatsoever) I cannot say that they actually should have been paid. While I think it was fair that they did get some pay to cover expenses, in the entire 6 months that person was a net loss to the company.

Not to say they weren’t bright, helpful, enthusiastic, keen and dedicated, they were. But in the middle of a multi-million dollar project,  with hectic deadlines and moving goalposts. Being required to not only do my work, but also explain it, give some to them to do, then correct and re-do it to a professional level, then go through it with them to show them where to improve it on top of the mandatory weekly meetings to go over progress etc, the catchups with the professor and all of the rest I can honestly say it was an imposition on both myself and the company. I can hand-on-heart say it would have been easier, by a margin, without the intern.

And as any mentor (at least any mentor who puts in the effort and wants to be good at it and really help) will tell you - it doesn’t end there, you’ll help out with their university assigments, career advice, resume’s, contacts etc. 3 years after my first “intern” and I still get routine calls to get advice, or help with something and we catch up for lunch a couple of times a year.
That intern I’d now hire in a shot, and they are doing very nicely in their chosen field, but back then? Without the experience they got on a major project? I’m really not too sure. 

That said, I’ve done it since and will again in the future. It’s a very worthhwile and fulfilling thing to be a part of someone else’s success and growth. I highly recommend it.