Breaking down why unpaid internships hurt everyone and how we can work to end them. 

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The WHY

My peers and many students who came after me felt trapped by the state of post-grad employment and the need to take on internships which are often unpaid. Unpaid internships hurt students especially those from disadvantaged groups and backgrounds, because they tend not to have the resources to survive a summer without an income. Still, both students and employers frequently accept the status quo. I decided to do a little research and dig into why unpaid internships need to end.


This Project Involved

Skills 

  • Blogging / Writing
  • Research
  • Image editing

Expertise

  • Millennial College / Work Culture
  • Workplace Diversity Issues
  • Social Justice

 

"And before you call unpaid internships worthwhile in the long-run, consider that a 2016 study by the National Association of Colleges and Employers found that paid interns are almost 30% more likely to get an offer compared to their unpaid peers and across industries, the gap between how much paid interns are offered as starting salaries versus unpaid interns is staggering.

Most surprising of all, on average, those who took unpaid internships were offered less to start than those with no internship experience whatsoever."


FULL BLOG POST

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Problems and Solutions

I break it all down on my personal blog, Harper Honey. From showing how unpaid internships decrease opportunities for less-well-off young people to proposing solutions and alternatives to students, employers, and schools.

Read the blog post ⇢ 


Topics covered

 
  • Issues with college credit as compensation
  • Alternative ways for young people to spend summers
  • How to fight back against unpaid internships
  • What an internship should be
  • Financial problems with not getting paid
  • Diversity issues that come with unpaid positions
  • Legal ramifications of not getting paid