Summer’s almost here, the traditional season of the internship.
But interns beware: in the last few years a series of lawsuits against employers offering unpaid internships have changed the rules of the apprenticeship game.
Rachel Feintzeig is a management reporter for the Wall Street Journal, and has been writing about the plight of the new internship.
In recent years, internships have become a near-necessity for college students trying to stand out in a brutal job market. And while some positions can provide valuable work experience and a glimpse into corporate life, critics maintain that the stints often amount to little more than unpaid labor.
A survey last year from the National Association of Colleges and Employers suggests unpaid internships don’t help students land full-time jobs. Alums of unpaid internships had full-time job offers at nearly the same rate as those who had no internships at all—about 37%, compared with 62% for those with paid internships.
To read more about how internships are changing, read Rachel’s article for the Wall Street Journal
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