However, when taking on an internship, it is important to know about your rights – and what a business can and cannot ask of you. While experience is important, your work and time has value as well.
What is an internship?
Internships are a work placement that involves a carefully monitored work or volunteer experience with intentional learning objectives. They are a popular way for recent graduates to transition from study into the workforce, gain hands-on experience, as well increase knowledge about your chosen industry.
They can be an invaluable step in your career path and give you a jump start into finding your dream job. From marketing, business and engineering to graphics design, education and health care – the opportunities are truly endless.
These programs are usually a temporary agreement that lasts anywhere from one week to a year in some cases. When undertaking work, it is vital that you are aware of your rights. You’ll need to determine whether an ‘employment relationship’ has been established between you and the employer. In this situation, both parties benefit from the work that you are undertaking. If you are merely observing during your internship, then this relationship has not been created and you are not entitled to remuneration.
Paid Internships
Paid internships should maintain the characteristics of normal job and hence, you will have the rights enjoyed by employees. Given the short timeline of these programs, you most likely will be employed casually. Ensure that you evaluate your contract carefully, specifically taking note of your enterprise agreement and rates of pay.
Employers are required to provide paid interns with a safe working environment, minimum rates of pay, and superannuation.
Unpaid Internships – when are they okay?
While it is tempting to take on any breadcrumb of experience that you can get your hands on, remember that your time and skills have value. Unfortunately, a lot of people think that unpaid internships are fair. Producing work that is unsupervised and profitable without reimbursement is not okay.
If you are undertaking an internship as part of your study (often called ‘placement’) and your work is entirely for educational purposes, then it is likely that the arrangement is lawful.
It is your right to be trained, taught and guided during your time at the internship program – you’re there to learn after all!
Warning Signs
Key red flags that indicate a dodgy internship include:
- Contributing to the profitability of the business and not being paid.
- There is no end date to your internship – which would suggest an employment agreement.
- You are expected to undertake unsupervised work with little to no guidance or training.
Internships are a great way to get industry experience in your chosen field and open doors for your future career! However, before entering an internship arrangement, it is crucial that you understand your rights. Invest your time into a program that will build your skills, expand your knowledge and provide adequate training.