Unpaid Internships Hinder Career Access for Working-Class Youth
Research highlights disparities in internship accessibility across socio-economic backgrounds.
Recent research by the social mobility charity Sutton Trust reveals that unpaid or low-paid internships are disproportionately benefitting middle-class graduates, limiting access to these career stepping stones for young people from working-class or disadvantaged backgrounds.
The study found that 55% of middle-class young people had undertaken internships, compared to just 36% from working-class families.
This gap has widened from 12 to 19 percentage points since the Sutton Trust's previous survey in 2018, despite legislative changes intended to regulate internship compensation.
The research indicates that unpaid or underpaid internships continue to comprise 61% of those offered, with interns often relying on parental support, living arrangements with family or friends, or personal savings to subsidize their placements.
According to the charity, this financial barrier prevents many young individuals from accessing these crucial opportunities.
Real estate employers were identified as the most likely to offer internships with low or no pay, followed by sectors such as construction, IT, finance, and law.
In contrast, internships in the retail sector were most likely to offer at least minimum wage, followed by opportunities in media, marketing, and advertising.
The Sutton Trust is advocating for a ban on unpaid internships lasting four weeks or longer, as well as stricter enforcement of existing minimum wage laws.
The charity reported finding no cases of companies being prosecuted for non-compliance with internship wage legislation.
Additionally, a survey by YouGov commissioned by the Sutton Trust showed that 38% of employers in Great Britain support banning unpaid internships, with another 30% in favor of better enforcement of minimum wage laws.
Furthermore, the Sutton Trust recommends that all internship positions should be publicly advertised to ensure broader access, arguing that existing recruitment practices favor candidates with professional connections.
The study highlighted that graduates with at least one professional contact were nearly twice as likely to secure internships as those without such connections.
The data also showed disparities in internship participation based on education background, with 71% of private school graduates having completed internships compared to only 40% of those from state schools.
The study found that 55% of middle-class young people had undertaken internships, compared to just 36% from working-class families.
This gap has widened from 12 to 19 percentage points since the Sutton Trust's previous survey in 2018, despite legislative changes intended to regulate internship compensation.
The research indicates that unpaid or underpaid internships continue to comprise 61% of those offered, with interns often relying on parental support, living arrangements with family or friends, or personal savings to subsidize their placements.
According to the charity, this financial barrier prevents many young individuals from accessing these crucial opportunities.
Real estate employers were identified as the most likely to offer internships with low or no pay, followed by sectors such as construction, IT, finance, and law.
In contrast, internships in the retail sector were most likely to offer at least minimum wage, followed by opportunities in media, marketing, and advertising.
The Sutton Trust is advocating for a ban on unpaid internships lasting four weeks or longer, as well as stricter enforcement of existing minimum wage laws.
The charity reported finding no cases of companies being prosecuted for non-compliance with internship wage legislation.
Additionally, a survey by YouGov commissioned by the Sutton Trust showed that 38% of employers in Great Britain support banning unpaid internships, with another 30% in favor of better enforcement of minimum wage laws.
Furthermore, the Sutton Trust recommends that all internship positions should be publicly advertised to ensure broader access, arguing that existing recruitment practices favor candidates with professional connections.
The study highlighted that graduates with at least one professional contact were nearly twice as likely to secure internships as those without such connections.
The data also showed disparities in internship participation based on education background, with 71% of private school graduates having completed internships compared to only 40% of those from state schools.
