Hey,
As most people will know who have spoken to me, I am opposed to unpaid internships. With the recent developments in the news, I thought I’d share that and my reasons why with you.
At this current time, I have three direct entry uni offers open to my, for the third year of three courses in Edinburgh. I have also applied for a full-time jobs. My fear right now is that I can’t afford to go to university. Sure, right now I am a college student in Glasgow, but the costs would be so different, and i am barely managing as it is just now.
Right now, I am open to the maximum SAAS can give me, but my wages have been minimised due to low hours on offer. If I was to go to university in Edinburgh, I would have to leave that job. I would also be paying around £13 a day to travel to university, for a year as opposed £4 a day. This would give me £9 more a day to pay, when some days I go to college without breakfast, don’t eat the full day and have dinner at night. How would this go if i had to travel to Edinburgh?
I do have other options open to me, i have applied for full time jobs, but right now I feel I need a degree for a safety net almost. The courses I am looking at doing, have an internship as part of the course that you must find yourself. Now, this internship would most likely be in Edinburgh, which would cost me more to travel on top of the other fees.
If I had to do an internship, it would push me over the edge into abject poverty. Many internships require you to put in as much work as the full-time employees, whilst studying. But to hold an internship down I would also have to hold down a part-time job. this would most likely knacker me out, damaging ,my education and working abilities.
Why should I be punished because my mum cannot afford to pay me through education. I mean, sure Scotland has “free” education, but fo all the extras employers are asking for today there is a cost. You have to buy supplies, travel, housing and food. To add onto the top of that fees that you would incur undertaking an internship that would not pay you is almost impossible for so many people, including myself. That is why, I cannot afford unpaid internships and why my academic career hangs in the balance between poverty and pay.
Kenny
I’m American (but now live in the East End of Glasgow) and unpaid internships are not something new to me. I had several in high school and when I was at Uni. I also had a paid internship though one summer. When I applied though I let them know I couldn’t afford to live in the city all summer unpaid and I was lucky I got one of three paid spots.
What are you looking to study? Could you study in Glasgow to help lessen costs? Have you looked into scholarships?
Public Relations third year direct entry,only in Edinburgh I’m afraid. Thanks for your comment
I’m an intern at the United States Capitol Building, interning for my senator. And the position is unpaid. In this economy it is frustrating, beyond frustrating that I am giving up 13 weeks of potential wages for this internship. I am learning a lot, but never the less I think unpaid internships should be illegal because you are doing them a service that they would normally need to hire someone to do. Unfortunately politics and corporate America runs on unpaid interns – they save thousands by not paying us. Thus is the reality of life.