Francis Emelogu/The Cougar

Internships have always been used as a way for students to receive hands-on experience in their career field for several decades; however, they are slowly becoming more and more of a controversial topic for companies.

The New York Times reported that many internships, whether they be paid or unpaid, “serve as valuable steppingstones that help young people land future jobs.”

While this may be true, internships do have pros and cons. Although some internships can be paid, enlightening and resume padding, others are unpaid and can seem like a waste of time and talent.

In fact, the National Association of Colleges and Employers reported in 2013 that among the 2013 graduates, 63.1 percent of paid interns received at least one job offer while only 37 percent of unpaid interns got an offer. This percentage proved to be only slightly higher than the 35.2 percent of graduates who received a job offer and did not complete an internship.

Aside from the likelihood of unpaid interns receiving a job after graduation, unpaid interns sometimes can feel taken advantage of.

Diana Truong, a Northwestern State University performance studies senior, completed an unpaid summer internship for a company that helps put together various events. She admits she spent much of her time making copies, filing and replying to repetitive e-mail messages for her employer.

“I would have liked to have been paid, but I know it is expected of me to do this for free,” Truong said. “In order to be a part of this competitive industry, I feel you have to do things like this. It is almost necessary because this is one of the easier ways to put your foot in the door. You have to just accept the challenge.”

Moreover, this experience did not allow Diana to receive much hands-on training. Diana, like other students, said she felt somewhat forced to put up with the treatment.

Because unpaid student interns are not hired as employees, they are not protected under the same labor laws as paid student interns; therefore, there is not much protecting them from receiving unfair treatment while interning. Even though unpaid interns are supposed to be protected by the guidelines of the U.S. Department of Labor, sometimes employers view interns as dispensable and able to do free and easy labor.

It is crucial for students to research an internship. A student should want to intern for a company that is going to help put them on a path to a great career. Students do not want to be put in the position to intern for a company where their time is taken advantage of and ultimately only used to benefit the employer. To ensure this doesn’t happen, it is important to connect with the employees at the job location to ensure that one’s purpose and job requirements as an intern are explained.

Contrastingly, not all internships are bad. Marketing sophomore Woodrow Claybon said he recently completed a summer internship in his hometown of Chicago.

“My internship this summer was an eye-opening and enriching experience,” Claybon said. “Not only was I able to represent my foundation on Fox News Chicago, but I was also able to learn how to use Excel, coordinate and plan events and oversee alumni outreach. The internship allowed me to network and establish important connections with business professionals all over Chicago.”

Internships should go beyond learning, as Claybon’s experience did; companies should give interns the chance to actually contribute and be part of a team. Internships are intended to assist students in realizing what exactly is expected from them as a professional, not just an intern.

Over the past few years, there has been much discussion about the increasing number of unpaid student internships. Some states have implemented rules for students to receive some type of college credit to compensate for them not being paid; however, this still does not help students with receiving internship positions nor does it protect students.

The high expectations of students to already come with a full resume and experience for an internship is a little much. In addition, students also now have to have a certain number of prerequisites to receive college credit for these internships.

There are good internships out there, but one just has to do extensive research. It is important to join something that is going to prepare college students to succeed in the real world within their selected career field.

Internships do not have to be seen a waste of time, as long as one remembers that internships should only help help in the journey towards being a professional.

Opinion columnist Faith Alford is a journalism sophomore and may be reached at opinion@thedailycougar.com. 

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“Keeping internships from wasting time and talent” was originally posted on The Daily Cougar