To Intern or Not to Intern

Ask both graduates looking to jumpstart their careers and hiring managers alike about the job search, and both might say the same thing: Experience is everything. One of the most common ways for students to gain experience in the workforce during their time at school is an internship. Internships allow students to build their skills, expand their career networks and test career prospects.

However, one major drawback remains true: the majority of these experiences go unpaid. According to a policy brief titled “Unpaid Internships & Inequality: A Review of the Data and Recommendations for Research, Policy and Practice,” published in 2022 by the Center for Research on College-Workforce Transitions at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, 3.28 million students participate in internships. Forty-seven percent of these students are in unpaid positions, totalling around one million unpaid interns. This study also presents the disparities between the varying identities of students taking unpaid positions. Students with vulnerable identities, first-generation students and female students were reported in these positions more when compared to their more privileged counterparts.

While these students aren’t receiving monetary compensation, many argue that internships provide payment in experience. Victoria Terranova, University of Northern Colorado criminal justice internship coordinator, advocates for the value of internships.

“What I see with students, the internship is pretty valuable for a couple of reasons,” Terranova said. “Number one, it builds up that experience in a pretty competitive market. It also helps students find out what they like and what they also don't like.”

Many professionals share Terranova’s sentiment regarding the worthiness of these positions for students. Internships help students stand out to employers and enhance their resumes with valuable expertise. However, amid rising economic tensions, heavy workloads and conflicting schedules with paid jobs, some students are questioning the value these internships provide.

Second-year psychology student Evelyn Feauto feels the pressure that unpaid internships can bring.

“It makes me really nervous and stressed out because it's another workload on top of all the other stuff that I'm doing,” Feauto said.

For some students like Feauto, internships aren’t just a way to gain experience; they’re a requirement to walk the stage. Depending on the course of study, what was once an opportunity to make yourself stand out is now non-negotiable.

“I'm just giving out all my time and energy, and I'm not really receiving anything back except for, like, the credits that I need, and it's just kind of unfortunate,” Feauto said. “I understand that I need to do it because, like, you need to have field experience in the degree that I'm in, but also at the same time, it would just be nice if I got paid for it because I'm putting in a lot of hours and mental activity.”

UNC third-year student Valeria Luquin is another student who is affected by how restrictive internship requirements can be.

“My internship felt like I had to make it my number one priority, especially since it is a graduation requirement for my degree,” Luquin said. “Even if I had a lot of homework to do, I would still have to go into my internship to complete my hours, and even there I would just do observations, so it didn’t make me feel as productive either.”

While these students don’t receive financial compensation for their time and efforts, some may argue that the benefits of the resource are fair for the labor and time they put into the position. Many companies put value on and invest in their interns, sometimes leading to offering full-time positions.

“I believe that internships value the support of getting students experience in the field they want to, but it is also a lot to ask a full-time college student to do on top of going to classes, working and extracurricular activities to add another nine-plus hours to their week for their internship,” Luquin said.

Internships are a great resource for students looking for that experience, but many students are disadvantaged by their own schedules. For working students, internships can seem out of the picture.

“I would have to adjust my schedule several times to accommodate the hours I have to do for my internship,” Luquin said. “Therefore, I would be working less and some weeks make far less just because I decided to take off a day or even a whole week sometimes.”

Working students rely on paid positions for basic life expenses. Adding an internship to their already heavy workload might feel impossible.

However, at UNC, faculty are working to ensure all students can receive equal opportunity.

“I was a working student. I worked full-time. I always kind of thought I didn't have an opportunity to intern, and so I never did as a student,” Terranova said. “And I really wish I had had more conversations with my advisers and my internship coordinators at the time, because I think there are ways to figure it out. It's just a matter of being creative and, you know, really being, you know, kind of diligent and looking at opportunities.”

UNC provides resources regarding internships for all kinds of student lifestyles and areas of study. While the pros and cons of unpaid internships are up for debate, these positions remain a revered student opportunity.