To Intern or Not to Intern
Internships play a pivotal role in shaping a student's academic journey and professional aspirations. The recent recommendations from the University Grants Commission have emphasised the importance of internship programs in higher education. It has even gone to the extent of proposing to make internships mandatory.
However, not all internships provide a great experience. Therefore, in this blog, we will explore the purpose of an internship, potential misuse by organisations, the characteristics of a good internship program, and the significance of choosing the right internship opportunity.
Benefits for Employers
An internship program within a corporate or startup setting is a symbiotic relationship of growth and potential. It burnishes the company's brand. It is the conduit through which fresh talent flows, bringing with it innovation, diversity, and increased productivity.
Probably the foremost benefit of running an internship program is the access it provides to a fresh and diverse talent pool. Interns bring a hunger to learn, a passion to succeed, and a knack for innovation. Nurturing these budding talents is a strategic move that can yield a multitude of long term benefits for an organisation. Even in the short tem, the program can identify key talent that align with the organisational ethos and culture. As a result, it not only meets immediate staffing needs but also creates a robust recruitment pipeline for the future.
Organisations understand that a well structured internship program is a great brand building exercise. It reflects positively on the organisation as an employer of choice as satisfied interns become strong brand ambassadors. Internships aren't just beneficial for interns; they can also boost the engagement levels of current employees. Involving them in mentoring and training interns can provide a sense of fulfilment and professional growth.
Having said that, we need to fully comprehend that internship programs are investments. While stipends constitute a tangible aspect of internships, the larger costs revolve around the administration of the program, the paid time for mentors and the indemnity risks of involving interns in production processes. This has led to some organisations abusing the internship programs to manage tight budgets and get away with sub quality deliverables.
Benefits for Interns
While employers benefit from internships, interns stand to gain even more. The primary advantage is the immersive learning environment they offer. Interns can transfer classroom knowledge to tangible challenges, refining a multitude of skills in the process. This hands-on experience not only strengthens their technical, analytical, and interpersonal abilities but also bridges the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application.
Additionally, internships pave the way for professional networking, allowing interns to connect with industry veterans, peers, and fellow interns. This networking can evolve into mentorship opportunities, job referrals, and collaborations. Furthermore, internships serve as navigational tools for those evaluating diverse career paths, facilitating informed career decisions. Exposure to different roles within an industry clarifies which path aligns best with an intern's aspirations. For instance, a budding software developer might intern in a marketing department, uncovering a newfound passion for product management.
Such experiences can distinguish resumes, as employers prize evidence of genuine commitment to a field. Lastly, high-quality internships propel candidates beyond their comfort zones, prompting personal growth. In some cases, internships can seamlessly transition into full-time positions, shortening onboarding periods and ensuring cultural familiarity.
Potential Abuse of the Internship Program
While internships hold immense potential, they are not immune to misuse. Some organisations exploit interns, undermining the spirit of these programs.
The foremost issue that crops up in terms of misuse of the internship program is a subtle one. Strong performers in any organisation are very often bandwidth restricted. Therefore, the mentorship workload typically falls on the organisational workhorses of the weaker performers. The absence of mentorship and guidance in some internships hampers professional development. The interns may struggle to navigate the complexities of the workplace, its processes and culture, if their mentors are themselves not motivated towards excellence. Additionally, inadequate access to meaningful projects and real-world experiences obstructs their ability to learn and develop essential skills.
Second among the misuse of the internship program, is the compensation for the intern’s time, or the lack thereof. In a concerning trend, many organisations are taking advantage of interns by not offering stipends or compensation for their work. This is despite assigning them significant responsibilities and tasks that contribute to the company's operations. This practice exploits a significant gap in labour laws, because the interns are not employees, but leaves them financially disadvantaged. Some organisations may not even adhere to labour laws and employment regulations pertaining to minimum wage requirements and workplace safety standards, when dealing with interns. Worse still, some organisations are collecting “internship fees”, amounting to masquerading commercial training programs as internships.
Thirdly, some unscrupulous entities go a step further by advertising fake or non-existent internship positions. They use these deceptive schemes to collect application fees from eager students or to meet regulatory requirements without providing any meaningful work experience or educational value. The gravity of the situation is further complicated if there are tacit understandings with the educational institutions themselves. HEIs, which have been ethically compromised, tend to fill in substantial portions of their curriculum with provisions for such internships. It enables them to satisfy curriculum requirements, without investing in quality faculty and facilities for the advanced courses. In other words, it is wilful dereliction of duty by the academic institutions, in connivance with unscrupulous training institutions to waste students' time and money.
Finally, some other establishments exploit the internship programs as a source of cheap labour, without the regulatory protection of labour laws. Interns are often relegated to mundane, clerical tasks that bear no relevance to their field of study. Moreover, some companies misuse internships as prolonged probationary periods, keeping interns in a state of uncertainty with no clear intention of hiring them as full-time employees, even after they have demonstrated their abilities. On the other end of the spectrum, companies may use interns to perform tasks that would otherwise be done by regular, paid employees, essentially using them as cheap labour. Interns may find themselves subjected to excessive work hours without adequate breaks or compensation for overtime. Exploitative work conditions may extend to disregarding the rights and needs of interns, including issues related to excessive workload, workplace harassment, safe working conditions, and timely stipend payments.
Thus, it is essential for both students and educational institutions to be aware of these potential pitfalls and to advocate for fair and valuable internship experiences. Additionally, policy interventions should be in place to prevent educational institutions from colluding with malicious organisations and protect the rights and interests of interns.