I am anti internship, they are super exploitative
― puff puff post (uh oh I'm having a fantasy), Tuesday, May 8, 2012 11:56 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
yeah, in short. paid internships are fine obv, at a company i worked for (not in the media) we had a steady procession of (paid) interns of varying degrees of eccentricity and entitlement - it was almost a disappointment when an intern turned out to be normal and hard-working and talented (at least one of those immediately got offered a permanent job with us though).
i had a fortnight's internship at the times at the end of my second year of university. no wages but travel expenses etc paid. a piece of research/writing was the most important bit of the application, it wasn't a "daddy knows someone who knows someone at the paper" deal. wasn't living in london then, stayed at super-cheap b&b (it would've been no more expensive than a student-cheap holiday). anyway when i graduated the following year i managed to ride that into nearly a year of doing various shifts at the times (which i then did v little with at the time but never mind) so i'd say it was pretty crucial.
― liberté, égalité, beyoncé (lex pretend), Wednesday, 9 May 2012 11:32 (1 year ago) Permalink
I think there is probably a divide between what is termed an internship in the US and what I'm familiar with in the UK. In the UK there is an established concept of 'work experience' which was carried out by 16+ and focuses on work ethics, timekeeping etc. In some sectors Internships are basically 'work experience' for university graduates who can be, and are often are, used more productively for the business.
― mmmm, Wednesday, 9 May 2012 11:35 (1 year ago) Permalink
i'm not sure how little it's regulated but UK internships vary so hugely, from basic school-age work experience deals to ethical/paid internships that can actually be a stepping stone to proper work to the unpaid ever-extending ones prevalent in eg the media, fashion etc that only kids w/money can afford to do.
― liberté, égalité, beyoncé (lex pretend), Wednesday, 9 May 2012 11:40 (1 year ago) Permalink
Post-university internships are definitely increasing in the UK. It's one of the biggest challenges to social mobility at the moment. The losers aren't the ones who are working for free, they're the ones whose parents can't afford to support their working for free and therefore have the door to a whole host of desirable industries shut in their faces. There needs to be proper enforcement of the minimum wage - it's routinely flouted, even by huge companies like the one i work for.
― Just like you, except hot (ShariVari), Wednesday, 9 May 2012 11:48 (1 year ago) Permalink
Totally agree with you there.
― mmmm, Wednesday, 9 May 2012 11:53 (1 year ago) Permalink
Internships aren't always full time positions though. None of the three I've had were and I also worked full time and went to school during two of them. Many interns only do the internship a couple days a week and do something else the rest of the time.
― wolf kabob (ENBB), Wednesday, 9 May 2012 12:13 (1 year ago) Permalink
That's true but the cost of living in the UK cities most of these internships are based in is generally so high it's not really viable for people to only get paid three days a week unless they're living with / supported by their parents.
― Just like you, except hot (ShariVari), Wednesday, 9 May 2012 12:18 (1 year ago) Permalink
In the UK there is an established concept of 'work experience' which was carried out by 16+ and focuses on work ethics, timekeeping etc.
I've never heard of this, but it sounds like something we could use in the US.
― Mordy, Wednesday, 9 May 2012 12:21 (1 year ago) Permalink
I had an unpaid internship for my final semester in college, doing prospect research for a non-profit org. I was very, very happy with it as it helped me find an application for my English major that I hadn't previously considered. The people who supervised me were really helpful in giving me assignments that I could put on a resume.
― how's life, Wednesday, 9 May 2012 12:21 (1 year ago) Permalink
Internships that do not provide ~ real ~ experience are shit. Putting an intern in "the environment" and reducing them to photocopy duties and menial crap and symbolic drudgery while telling them they're, say, paying their respects is essentially indentured servitude. Moreso b/c internships are de rigueur in many fields now, and offer now advantage/guarantee of employment.
Educational internships are a different beast, as Abbott said upstairs, but I don't think that it's fair to make teachers teach for free for a year, no matter what.
― et tu, twinkletoes? (remy bean), Wednesday, 9 May 2012 12:42 (1 year ago) Permalink
I can't classify it as an internship but I did do two weeks work experience in the early 90s. It involved working with Sacha Baron Cohen, so that was classic (in one way!)
― mmmm, Wednesday, 9 May 2012 12:46 (1 year ago) Permalink
Voted yes and not-so-good, in that it was boring and unpaid. But I can pretty much credit it for getting me in the door to a paid position in my field, so ultimately for me it was worthwhile.
― franny glass, Wednesday, 9 May 2012 16:35 (1 year ago) Permalink
Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.
― System, Monday, 14 May 2012 00:01 (1 year ago) Permalink
Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.
― System, Tuesday, 15 May 2012 00:01 (1 year ago) Permalink
http://baseballjobs.teamworkonline.com/teamwork/jobs/jobskey.cfm?s=New+York+Yankees#53909
DESCRIPTION: This is an opportunity for an undergraduate student or a recent graduate to gain first-hand experience in the logistical elements involved in the day-to-day operations of a Major League Baseball club.
- Must be available to work 81 regular season home games, and potential post season games- Are you able to commit to this internship through October, 2013?- Bilingual English and Spanish is preferred but not required
there are also internships available in the video editing, web development and statistical analysis departments! and you know, ppl love their sports and their yanquis and there's probably lots of demand! ffs
― mookieproof, Wednesday, 27 March 2013 23:37 (1 month ago) Permalink