The Independent’s Johann Hari has written a great piece blasting unpaid internships. I agree with every point he makes:
This is happening all over Britain’s professions. The wealthy writer (and self-confessed “pushy mum”) Rachel Johnson is admirably honest about it. She says: “The truth is getting a job depends almost entirely on getting work experience, which depends almost entirely on whom you or your family knows … This back-scratching cycle of privilege is the middle-class Circle of Life. So it’s all jolly unfair, frankly.”
Who does this cheat? Johnson says: “All those students who support themselves through university, only to find out when they leave that the glittering prizes have already been handed out, at a ceremony they never knew was taking place, to the undergraduate with the best connections.”
This isn’t just bad for the people who are shut out. It is bad for the professions – and the country. Talent is distributed throughout the population – but we are only picking from a tiny tier, based on their parents’ bank balance. Imagine if the England football team was made up of the sons of the 1966 winners and their mates. How would they perform? Imagine if films could be cast using only the children of actors. How many talents would we exclude?
Dave,
I am coming to the end of my work experience placement and havew some views on unpaid interns which I will happily share with you once I have finished.
I seem to recall that you were collecting experiences late last year
Nigel Barlow’s last blog post..How often should you blog? Or are we all individuals?
Indeed I was. I still intend to make a site allowing people to post comments — but other commitments have got in the way right now, sadly. Definitely has a place on my to-do list, though. Watch this space.