Universitites Veto adverts for unpaid interns

 Universities veto adverts for unpaid interns

Libby Page, a fashion student aged 21, has done several unpaid internships

Times photographer Richard Pohle

 

Universities are refusing to advertise unpaid internships amid a growing scandal over the exploitation of job-seeking graduates.

Some of Britain’s leading institutions are refusing to promote the schemes in protest at the inequity of the system. They say it is unfair that graduates are expected to work free for up to a year to break into their chosen career, because only those from rich families can afford to take part.

Internships offer no guarantee of a job, and students often end up going from one to another as they try to get a foothold in their profession. If their parents cannot support them, they rack up even more debt on top of their student loan.

About 100,000 young people, mostly graduates, are thought to be working for no pay. Although some positions are designed to let graduates try a job and get valuable experience, many appear to be jobs with no salary.

For example, Reading Football Club is advertising a year-long position as a full-time performance analyst paying no salary and no expenses, even though candidates must have their own car, go to home and away fixtures and be prepared to work unsociable hours.

The boycott by universities comes as Revenue & Customs is investigating 100 companies that might be breaking the law by requiring their interns to work for no pay, revealed in The Times last month.

The law makes clear that if a post has set hours and defined responsibilities, it is a job and the person doing it is a worker and must be paid.

The Revenue declined to reveal the names of the companies under investigation, but it is understood that 10 per cent are in the public relations sector, with fashion, marketing and the arts featuring strongly.

Among those universities that have decided to boycott unpaid internships are Oxford, York, Leeds, Liverpool, Essex, Sussex and Nottingham. The University of Liverpool was one of the first to stop advertising unpaid positions. “We took the decision to only handle paid internships because our graduates are of excellent quality. Unpaid interns damage all earnings and going to work costs money, so unpaid actually means you pay for the experience. There’s also the social equity issue: who can actually afford to work for nothing?” Paul Redmond, head of careers at Liverpool, said.

Susan Stedman, of the University of Essex, said: “We do not want to encourage an internship culture in the UK which is so clearly unfair for many students and graduates. Unpaid internships can further disadvantage and discriminate against students who are already economically disadvantaged as they are not in a position to work for nothing.”

Bob Gilworth, of the University of Leeds, said: “Our aim is to create a level playing field, ensuring that students can apply and be selected on merit regardless of financial circumstances.”

The University of York has issued a warning to students on unpaid internships to “limit their involvement to a maximum of eight weeks”.

Oxford advertises only positions that last less than four weeks, or are for a charity.

The growing boycott was welcomed by Intern Aware, the group that is leading the campaign to have all internships paid. It successfully took eight companies, including Harrods and NOW Magazine, to tribunals over their unpaid internships, arguing that the positions were actually jobs that the employers wanted to be done without having to pay salaries. The tribunal judge agreed and it won all eight cases.

“Young people go to university to equip themselves with the skills they need for a career, and yet too many employers are judging them on their ability to work for free,” Ben Lyons, a co-founder of Intern Aware, said.

“This boycott will encourage businesses to pay their interns, as the cost of the minimum wage is a small price to pay for being able to recruit bright, hardworking graduates.”

The universities have been joined by Monster.co.uk, which has become the first big recruitment website to stop advertising unpaid internships.

The Government is divided on the issue, even though ministers have been warned by their lawyers that many companies are breaking the law.

The Tories are wary about imposing any more restrictions on employers at a time of record youth unemployment, but the Liberal Democrats want all internships to be paid.

Spot the difference

Work experience Typically one to two weeks during which young people shadow a member of staff. Usually done during full-time study

Internship Typically three to six months during which candidates are given duties and tasks. If the position requires set working hours and has defined responsibilities it is legally defined as a job and the worker is entitled to the minimum wage. Charities have an exemption.

News International has no internship programme. It offers up to one week of work experience. It also has a graduate trainee scheme with two recruits chosen each year on a full salary. The Murdoch Scholars programme offers students work experience in two-week blocks. They are paid expenses of £50 a week.

Source: The Times