WHY AREN’T UNIVERSITIES INFORMING STUDENTS ABOUT THEIR RIGHTS?
Did your university tell you that unpaid internships are illegal? Did Prospects – supposedly the “official” graduate careers advice – provide you with any helpful advice on this issue?
New figures suggest that if you managed to find any useful information on the legalities of unpaid internships from either of these sources, you are in the minority. The latest research from Internocracy reveals that only 1 in 10 graduates is aware of the basic facts about internships – and Graduate Fog is concerned that those who are best placed to inform young people about their rights as workers are failing in their duty to do so.
It gets worse.
Not only are the facts about your rights not reaching you, but this website has learned that a large number of universities are actually promoting unpaid internships to their students and graduates.
Graduate Fog has even found some working with the highly controversial recruitment company Inspiring Interns (which takes a hefty fee from employers, while the intern receives less than the NMW for their work).
This is despite the fact that the uni careers advisers’ official body (AGCAS) has repeatedly said that it is against the practice of unpaid internships. In August 2010, AGCAS director Martin Pennington wrote in a letter to the Guardian:
Unpaid internships are not just exploitative of individuals but also restrict social mobility, as they are disproportionately difficult for graduates from lower socio-economic groups to take up, and reduce the number of entry level jobs for graduates and others. Current advice from AGCAS to its members is that they shouldn’t advertise or broker internships that contravene legislation.
No wonder young people are confused about their rights – it seems their careers advisers don’t have a clue about them either.
And then there’s Prospects. You would think, would you not, that “the UK’s official graduate careers website” would be all over the subject of internships, being as it’s THE big issue affecting graduates in 2011.
Dream on. When I searched for ‘internships,’ all I discovered was some seriously dodgy advice from Heather Collier, Director of the National Council for Work Experience:
NCWE don’t want to discourage companies from coming forward with opportunities for graduates or discourage graduates from taking them. It has to be a balance between getting the experience that is crucial for the first permanent job and not encouraging exploitation.
The main thing is for graduates not to allow themselves to be exploited. They should establish a time limit for the internship, get as much as they can from it, network for contacts and opportunities and when it is no longer mutually equitable i.e. fair to both parties, they should move on and use what they now have to look for the next internship or job.
We recommend that if a graduate is adding value to a company they should at least pay the minimum wage but whether the intern is ‘a worker’ is for the employer to decide.
Is Collier for real? And is this honestly the best information Prospects can provide for students and graduates desperately searching for paid work in 2011? Because I think it’s pretty pathetic.
For one thing, this bit:
…whether the intern is ‘a worker’ is for the employer to decide
…is just plain wrong. A “worker” has a legal definition – employers don’t get to decide anything (and most interns do meet the criteria).
And as for this line:
…The main thing is for graduates not to allow themselves to be exploited.
Is that supposed to be some kind of joke? The general impression is that this advice is given by ‘experts’ who have no understanding of the scale or complexity of this issue.
The fact that Prospects can’t even be bothered to get its head around THE most important issue affecting job-seeking graduates in 2011 means it does not have the right to be the market leader, in my opinion.
Bitter? Moi? That’s exactly the word a nameless Prospects representative used during a recent DM exchange. S/he said I was ‘bitter’ about Prospects’ size and reach – presumably because, next to them, Graduate Fog is a very small fish.
The accusation is incorrect. I am not ‘bitter’. Prospects is a huge, lumbering dinosaur of a website. Despite its vast funding through advertising on its job board (it is the biggest graduate job board in the UK), it still fails to be actually useful for most graduates seeking advice and information. Its size comes thanks to the fact that it is recommended by every university in the country, not because it’s actually any good.
What I am is angry – and frustrated.
If Prospects and their close friends at the university careers advice centres were doing a good job of providing you lot with excellent information and advice, I would honestly have no problem with their sprawling dominance over the market. But they aren’t doing a good job. In fact, they are doing a spectacularly bad job – at a time when the stakes are too high for that to be acceptable.
Young people are spending tens of thousands of pounds to obtain their degree – and are emerging from university facing a nightmare job market. Employers remain cautious about hiring, graduate salaries are stalling, too many companies are taking advantage of young workers through unpaid internships – and politicians have failed to stand up for your right to be paid for your work (yes, our NMW laws DO apply to interns – and no, you can’t waive your right to be paid).
Becky Heath – co-founder of Internocracy – agrees that the universities must do more to educate students about their rights. She told Graduate Fog:
Universities are ideally placed to inform young people about their rights as interns. Unfortunately, our figures would suggest that this isn’t happening. Students are being told to get an internship or work experience to help them get a job, but not alerted to the potential issues surrounding pay and the quality of their placement.
It is also worrying to learn that some universities are actually promoting unpaid internships to their students and graduates – as these are likely to be illegal. I would like to see the university careers staff gaining clarity on the details of this issue so that they can play a more active role in the fight against this corrosive practice.
Given the seriousness of this situation, I think universities and Prospects should be hanging their heads in shame at the news that only 10% of graduates know their rights when it comes to internships. If they choose to have a monopoly over the careers advice sector, they have a responsibility to do a good job of serving their customers. You have the right to a far better service than they are currently providing.
*Did your university inform you about your rights as an intern?
Should universities promote unpaid internships to their students and graduates – or take a stronger stand against employers who exploit young workers? What about Prospects? Do you rate it for useful, in-depth advice and discussion – or is it just a soulless, money-making job board?
Prospects is a waste of time I choose to read blogs over ‘official’ information resources. For a site such as Prospects to get big it must abandon honesty for its advertisers.
It’s probably trying to get keep its intern-exploiting advertisers sweet.
This happens a lot to websites which have grown that big. For example Tree Hugger, one of the biggest blogs out there, which deals with environmental themes, is a waste of time but has significant reach. All it has is unimaginative press-releases-come-articles. People informed about environmental issues tend not to like Tree Hugger.
Graduates informed about the state of the jobs market in the UK tend not to like Prospects.
This is a pity because many graduates need advice and turn to sites like this for help.
I will continue to come and visit Graduate Fog even when I’m working because I like the honesty of expression that’s found here.
@joddle
Thanks for your comments. I like your theory about Prospects’ reasons for apparently ignoring the internships issue – perhaps they will care to comment on it?!
I agree that graduates need better advice – I firmly believe that what you are getting is simply not good enough. When you are spending tens of thousands of pounds on your education – having been told your investment will ‘buy’ you a better job – at the very least you are entitled to some decent advice.
I am aware that whenever I bitch about Prospects it looks like sour grapes (!) but I honestly wouldn’t mind their monopoly of the market – if they were providing a service that was actually any GOOD! But the fact is that it isn’t – and in this economic climate the stakes are too high to be offering such a poor resource.
Thank you! To be honest I’ve been taken aback how many graduates tell me this! When I set up Graduate Fog I always worried whether I would lose as many users each year as I gained (as one year graduated, another would find jobs), but it seems not to be the case – and we have lots of users who are NOT job-seeking graduates. As you say, I think people just appreciate the refreshing honesty! : )
When I cold called a laboratory for an internship, I was told that they could do me an unpaid internship over Summer, but only if my uni wrote to them saying I was a registered student with them, as apparently this mitagated the NMW issue. Any information on this version?
@Orion
That’s sort of right – I’m actually quite impressed with the lab! There is an exemption to the NMW law for those doing internships as part of their course. From what I understand it, they don’t have to be paid a penny, even if they’re doing real work.
But from what you say, it sounds like you are arranging this placement outside of your course. If so, then it is probably still illegal for the lab to take you on as an unpaid worker. The NMW laws are there not just to protect you from being exploited, but also for your peers who can’t afford to work for nothing.
Ah I see! Well yes, technically I’m still a student there (for another two weeks then I graduate), but I’m moving on to a masters course in October. The old uni won’t write to them explaining my situation (They’ve had my fees, and so im therefore not their problem anymore, even though I’mpaid up for another fortnight. Bloody typical), and my new uni is powerless as I’m unregistered until Oct. ‘Course, no other employers want someone for 3 months so I’m stuck on jobseekers for the remainder of the deadzone. *Sigh*
aargh, i agree, that’s so frustrating. so no luck finding casual work for 3 months?
it seems crazy that we have a situation where somebody wants to work for three months but instead has to claim JSA… what a mess this is!
Only job I’ve got after 70 CVs, is a job at the factory my dad works at via calling in of favours. But even then, they’ll quite happily call you in at 5 in the morning, then tell you you arent needed, leaving you to find your own way home (carpool, FML). Lucky if you get a days work a week.
But yes, excellent site Tanya, keep fighting the good fight!
My Girlfriend has just been offered an internship at a fashion PR agency for 3 months unpaid! – This is insane! Not only is it slave labour, it’s tax evasion on the companies side! however if she declines then there are people queueing up to take her place!
Until graduates put their feet down and demand that this unethical practice ends and refuse to accept the internships, then why would the companies stop.
As a business owner myself, if you had the chance of free labour you’ll take that all day long rather than advertise a junior position. Basically you have to work for free until your qualified enough for a senior role – it’s ludicrous !
Fair enough it looks good on your C.V but what happened to the minimum wage? and asking someone to “look after the day to day running” of a place whilst they are on a jolly at the New York fashion week is not acceptable unpaid experience!
Do you think the students can sue the company for damages since it is illegal?
Rob, if your girlfriend takes that internship and she is used as a worker then it is 100% certain that she can very easily claim the pay she should have got. HMRC are desperate to hear about people in her situation, right now. Even if she doesn’t want to allow her identity to be revealed, she still has a good chance of getting paid and she can really do something significant to stop this kind of thing happening.
The Pay and Rights Helpline number is 0800 917 2368. Please – take the job and then report the company. Now is the time!
xx
Hi Louise,
She took the internship, it finished last week. They worked her to the bone, made her do “overtime” and reduced her to tears on one occasion. They had 5 interns there!! Practically half of the workforce!
The really mickey take was when they said how good she was, and asked her to find another similar intern on the web to take her place when she leaves!
I kept meaning to ring HMRC to tip them off. I think I will now though!
Thanks for the advice.
Rob
Companies that offer unpaid internships and exploit graduates can be reported by making a complaint to HRMC
https://payandworkrights.direct.gov.uk/complaints/
I’ve spoken to them on her behalf. I was told that she’d have to ring up personally and confidentially give her details and evidence.
They also mentioned that they are aware of the issue and called it exploitation. They are going to really clamp down on it over the next couple of months!?
She’s worried about “grassing” them up in case it damages her future career prospects ?!
Rob, she has absolutely nothing to worry about, HMRC’s promise of confidentiality is 100% rock solid. This clampdown has started and anyone can alert HMRC to any situation where people are not being paid for their work. If they do they can be safe in the knowledge that HMRC will never do anything that will result in people’s identity being revealed.
If anyone needs any information/help/advice about whether or how to claim, or make a report, then feel free to contact me (including your girlfriend Rob!). My email address is derrywatson@gmail.com.
Hi
I work for a SU and we’re currently trying to do something on educating students over their rights when it comes to internships – do you have any particular advise on the best way to go about this?
Also many of our students have done unpaid internships with MP’s, and I just wondered how that would be dealt with by HMRC?
Thanks
Lizzy
An intern who was not paid the wages they were owed under the law is entitled to recover the minimum wage for every hour they worked, plus prejudgment interest. In addition, under the law, the intern would be able to recover overtime pay for hours worked over 8 in a day or 40 in a week. Assuming the intern was not paid within 30 days of the ending of the internship, they could also be entitled to “waiting time” penalties under the law equal to 30 days wages. If the intern suffered any other wage and hour law violations during their internship, they could also recover appropriate wages, expenses and penalties.