It’s no secret that internships provide real world experience in a student’s field and give them a good idea of the pros and cons of a particular position. In the Marist Class of 2017, 83 percent of students participated in one or more internships by the time they graduated and many students credited their internship as a primary reason they were hired for their first job out of school. But like any form of work experience, internships come in many shapes and sizes: paid, unpaid, credit bearing, required, and elective are just a few. More recently, a combination of the growing U.S. labor market and lower unemployment rates have decreased the number of unpaid internships. 43 percent of internships were unpaid in 2017 compared to about half in 2012 According to a survey conducted by the National Association for Colleges and Employers (NACE) cited in a recent Wall Street Journal article, 43 percent of internships were unpaid in 2017 compared to about half in 2012. Furthermore, the average hourly internship wage increased by 3.7 percent in 2018. In 2014, the average hourly wage for an intern was $16, while now it has jumped to $18.73.
The United States Senate recently put in a bid to allocate $5 million to pay its interns. If approved by the House of Representatives, the money will become available at the start of the fiscal year on Oct. 1. In January 2018, the U.S. Department of Labor rolled out a primary beneficiary test to determine if an individual can be classified as an unpaid intern. Factors considered in the test include the extent to which the internship provides training that would be similar to that given in an educational environment and the extent to which the internship is tied to the intern's formal education program by integrated coursework or the receipt of academic credit. From the recruiter’s perspective, the goal of some internships has evolved from low cost labor into ensuring a pipeline of young talent for entry level positions. Paying interns can also lead to retaining talent in a certain geographic location and attracting more economically diverse students. Economic demands on students can discourage them from applying to or accepting an unpaid internship regardless of the prestige of the company or value of the experience. Many unpaid internship programs often involve relocation, which is difficult for such a short period of time. If students cannot find dormitory or other temporary housing or stay with a friend or relative already living in the area, they are out of luck. Some employers provide a stipend for commuting, food, or other living costs, but even that doesn’t cover most of their financial needs to live in a city or surrounding suburbs. Students also often pay out of pocket to receive academic credit for their internship, which is a steep price if they are not under scholarship. If they feel determined enough to seize an unpaid internship opportunity, students may take out loans or work part-time second jobs just to break even financially. Despite the national decrease in unpaid internships, companies may still only offer internships for academic credit rather than any form of financial compensation. The Marist College Center for Career Services does not recommend accepting an internship that is neither paid nor for academic credit. Interning under these circumstances would make the student ineligible for the college’s or employer’s insurance policy. Either way, from a legal perspective it is the student’s responsibility to make sure their internship is registered with either the employer or the college. The staff members in the Center for Career Services are available all summer long to assist you with internship planning for the upcoming academic year. Use these guides for reference when registering your internship in FoxQuest. Note that international students should follow a slightly different process.
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