Unpaid Internships Are Still Common — Here’s What to Do When Asked to Work for Free
Teen Vogue • By Rainesford Stauffer • August 15, 2022
“Ah, internships: a time for exploring new interests, hands-on learning, and…exploitation?
Not always. But often. Data from the Center for Research on College-Workforce Transitions at the University of Wisconsin-Madison estimates somewhere between 31% and 58% of internships in the United States don’t pay. But internships are still considered a must-have for a well-rounded résumé (multiple years of experience for an entry-level job, anyone?) and are sometimes an academic requirement. Often, they mirror broader workforce inequities, raising questions about whose labor, time, and knowledge have value. While ‘blame the intern’ quips still pop up on social media, unpaid internships are a legitimate labor issue.
‘When I started working as an unpaid intern, paying your dues felt expected,’ Massachusetts representative Ayanna Pressley, whose congressional office only offers paid internships, tells Teen Vogue. Especially in politics, working for free was the norm, she says, adding that she did gain essential experience. ‘But I am so glad that culturally we are shifting away from unpaid labor under the guise of 'experience.' It is opening up opportunities to folks who need to be at every decision-making table.’”
