In the world of design, internships are a time-tested practice, young grads and undergrads jump at the chance to earn valuable experience while firm owners reap the benefits of cheap (even free) labour – a probable win win for both sides. Internships are a kick-start to designer’s careers and mold student’s education into real world practice. But are unpaid internships benefitting or harming the design world? The trends seem to say the latter.
The unpaid internship is nothing new and neither is the debate. Respected leaders in the field still advocate such practices, but it’s harming the industry – and it’s illegal. Young designers grab these opportunities with the mindset that hard work will eventually lead to a paid position, not to mention it’s practically a necessity these days – with programs like York’s Bachelor of design which have a required internship in 3rd year. Without experience, designer’s are without jobs.
Earning work for pitching free creativity is a backward practice – any other trade involving similar premises such as trade apprenticeships have always been supplemented with basic room and board. These days, typically the only people able to accept unpaid internships are the privileged young supported by their family. How is a young designer buried in student loans, working part time just to survive supposed to show up five days a week for months without pay?
The prospective individuals looking for these internships don’t have the power to change these practices – the old “if you don’t like it , don’t take the internship” leaves them powerless. Do you sacrifice for the experience, or risk future unemployment?
The truth is unpaid internships are illegal. The law says that only a company working directly with an educational institute in offering hands-on learning, as a required component of a formal education, can be considered a practicum and thus not “work” requiring compensation. But unless the opportunity never involves working directly on any client projects and the intern makes no contribution to the company whatsoever, then it is indeed work.
If you are a young designer feeling like you have no alternative in this hyper-competitive industry but to offer yourself as an intern without adequate recompense, think again. Don’t be afraid to ask employers to outline what you’ll be doing, learning, and gaining if not pay. Be ready to demonstrate how you are precisely the right person for the job and how you can bring value to the organization while learning and paying your dues. If they insist it’s no pay or no opportunity, know that you can take a stand and politely decline.
Internships are a stepping stone, not a chopping block – embrace the future designers and show them their worth.