- Work experience is a maximum of two weeks in a company where you observe the runnings and maybe take part in minor tasks, but the main thing is that you are there to learn.
- You should expect travel expenses and maybe food expenses.
- Internship means you stay in a company for a longer amount of time - from a month to a year.
- It gets you ready for a job in that company, or to walk straight in to a job in the industry.
Most interns I know are being given expenses, even though they're working unpaid for over 3 months. I thought this was normal. A pain in the arse especially when paying rent, needing to keep fashionably up-to-date, traveling, food and in the present time CHRISTMAS! But recently I read an article in the Guardian by Huma Qureshi who has written about the hell that interns go through (read it here). From reading this article I have looked at a website called Interns Anonymous which publishes good and bad experiences that interns have gone through and helpful tips.
One helpful tip I have found from Interns Anonymous is that the HM Revenue and Customs say that Internships are for people who have graduated and are independently living, been given proper and important tasks to do for the company then they should be paid at least minimum wage!
Why have I just heard about this now? And why haven't the government pushed this harder? Instead of allowing companies to screw over interns by not even paying expenses.
Why have I just heard about this now? And why haven't the government pushed this harder? Instead of allowing companies to screw over interns by not even paying expenses.
There is a charity called NABS who do help students and people looking to start their career in the media industry, and good for them to look out for people like us, because the government are certianly taking their time over it.
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really good
ReplyDeleteHey Yaz! I'm at work and you and James aren't here with me :( I heard you was leaving! Was going to buy you a drink to say goodbye and thanks for making my first day at Jori White welcoming! Hope you're successful in whatever you do, whereever you go. I have you on Facebook anyway, and will probably start Twitter and follow you lol. Hope to see you soon babes!
ReplyDeleteRachel
xxxxx
P.s. You're a star for helping me with my assignment!
I only just found out as well that interns need to be paid minimum wage BY LAW. I'm absolutely apalled that this is not just common knowledge and employers are getting away with free labour from talented graduates simply because they want to get into the industry/earn a full time position?
ReplyDeleteSpread the word! Fight for your right as an intern since at the end of the day you are not in the wrong and there isn't much else to lose.
Cool post! We didn't know a lot of the stuff you mentioned here! It's definitely hard being an intern, especially as we are based in the midlands atm, but will be in london in a month and then back up to the midlands so we can't get part time jobs but still have to afford rent, food and expenses. It's a real ball ache. But sometimes you just have to do it simply so you get experience.
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