In a country that prides itself as the home of the free, economic boundaries and difficulties continue to separate young people from opportunities. But companies like Apple, Microsoft, and Google are taking important steps to bridge the gap.

BY JENNIFER KELLEHER
EL NUEVO SOL

After spending three years attending his dream school, Javier Zamora didn’t think that his college experience could get any better… that was until he received an offer to intern in the White House.

“I was in total disbelief and my adrenaline kicked and I was bouncing off the walls, for the first time I felt accomplished. I had to read the acceptance letter over and over again to make sure I read it correctly,” Zamora recalled.

With the help of scholarships, savings and support from his parents, the political science student was able to accept a full-time, unpaid internship in the White House. But while he prepared himself very well financially and had the monetary support of his parents, many students are strapped with extremely tight budgets, struggling to cover their regular living expenses.

Jake Jenkins, a senior public relations student at Purdue University, worked three other jobs alongside his paid internship in order to support his studies. The part-time barista, part-time public relations intern juggled 19 units each semester, but credits his internship experience as an essential part of his collegiate journey. Despite the long hours, difficult schedule and restrictive budget, Jenkins was willing to do whatever it took to be successful.

“But I think everyone should be paid a living wage but especially young students who are right out of college or in college. They are taking all of these courses in school, but they deserve to eat too” said Jenkins. “My friends who have worked unpaid internships have either had multiple jobs or taken out loans. You’re going into debt or working two to three jobs, and that is just absurd.”

Stefanie Bluestein, a journalism professor at California State University, Northridge, emphasizes that the leading cause for students not pursuing internship opportunities is their finances. According to the Sutton Trust organization, 43% of unpaid interns rely on living for free with family and friends, while more than 26% are financially dependent on their parents, and approximately 10% worked secondary jobs to subsidize their internship.

Why a Bachelor’s Degree is Good, But Not Good Enough Anymore

In the 1970s, approximately 10% of the population had a degree. Today, more than 30% have graduated college. In his paper, “College Major, Internship Experience, and Employment Opportunities: Estimates from a Résumé Audit,”John Nunley explains that “Jobs are just fundamentally different. Production and routine tasks are no longer demanded at the rate that they were. Firms are looking for people with problem-solving skills. Internships offer people a glimpse of those skills and abilities.”

Over the last 50 years, the job market has developed significantly and the basic, entry-level expectations have intensified. Entering the job market today is a scary proposition because most entry-level positions require two or more years of office experience. Most executive or administrative assistant positions require experience with rolling/transferring calls and taking messages.

According to the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM), “companies are asking new graduates to already have years of experience before they even apply for entry-level jobs, making it more difficult for some young adults to gain a foothold in the labor market … This hiring strategy, which may help simplify the recruiting process by screening out more applicants, is holding back companies that need the best talent at the entry level to stay competitive.”

Although internships do not completely make up for the two years of office experience, they do give students exposure to these responsibilities, while they are still in a position to learn, make mistakes and improve.

Recruiters are not expecting perfection, but they are looking for impressive resumes from recent grads. Nowadays, recruiters are much more impressed by an applicant’s experience, than the university they received a degree from.

“Internships provides merit to your resume after college. Employers look for the best-experienced candidate from their pool of applicants, so you want to make sure that you can make your resume shine above the rest. Having an education is important but having both qualified work experience and a higher education is paramount for those dream jobs,” Zamora said.

In an age where technology is changing so rapidly, it is impossible for universities to teach students everything that they need to know. While they are able to provide students with a solid foundation in their major, internships give students the opportunity to develop their existing skills and learn new ones.

“[Internships] give students a chance to learn new skills that they either weren’t taught in their classes or that are more modern. These days, a lot of people have a Bachelor’s Degree. It’s not as special as it used to be 20-30 years ago, so the internship(s) that a student can complete before they graduate will make them stand out when it comes time,” Bluestein said.

Why Unpaid Internships Are Unequal Opportunities

Although he had the means to work as an unpaid intern in the White House for a semester, Zamora recognized the struggle that many of his co-interns faced.

“In my opinion, I would like to see an end to unpaid internships if the interns provide value to the organization. Unpaid internships block opportunities to those who need to work full-time jobs to attend school,” Zamora said. “I was fortunate enough to earn scholarships, save money and have a supportive family that allowed me to take advantage of the opportunities I pursued.”

Even though the internship applications are open to all students, the system is not fair for numerous reasons. Unpaid internships are only truly accessible to students like Zamora, who have financial support. Zamora has an unfair advantage over equally qualified applicants because he has the financial means to support himself. Students like Jenkins prove that even paid internships are not enough to cover the basic living expenses of a college student. However, he emphasizes how valuable internship experience is in terms of preparing him for a successful career.

“Before we require students to have an internship we have to fix the system that allows businesses to have unpaid internships. It’s unfair. I’m working three jobs next semester to be able to afford to be here and to save to move somewhere else and I don’t have time for an unpaid internship,” Jenkins said.

Time is money. When students are forced to choose between earning money in a part time job or gaining work experience in an unpaid internship, obviously earning money is the more popular choice, especially for students who are responsible for covering their rent, tuition, books, and other necessities.

How Large Companies are bridging the economic gap to provide equal opportunities for students

Companies including Facebook, Microsoft, Apple, Google, and Nike, are all taking steps to make internships possible for students in every economic situation. Not only are they paying minimum wage, but they are covering interns’ housing and travel expenses as well. By compensating interns in this way, the employers are demonstrating their appreciation for their interns. Students, in turn, gain more from their experience, because the internship can be their #1 priority.

Intern perks, like the ones that these companies offer, bridge the economic gap that exists between students who can afford internships and those who cannot. By providing financial assistance, these companies are offering their internships on an even playing field. In addition to financial compensation, these companies are also supporting their interns by hosting networking events, workshops and guest speaker lectures throughout the internship terms.

How Schools Can Help

Not having professional experience in their major makes grads much less prepared to enter the work force. This issue leads to a skills gap for entry-level applicants and has a significant impact on the economy. By making internships a requirement for graduation, universities would be better preparing their graduates to secure jobs, thus stimulating the job market and economy.

College is What You Make It

In an age where we have the ability to document and share our every move, students are under a tremendous amount of pressure academically and socially. In addition to academics, students are encouraged to get involved in Greek life and other campus organizations related to their majors.  But due to the intense nature of today’s job market, it is imperative that students go beyond their campuses and course work to gain real-world experience. While internships are not a requirement from universities across the board, they truly help students develop and expand their skill base tremendously. By encouraging students to pursue internship opportunities, universities will help to build a stronger entry-level working class as well. For students, the experience of working in an office setting will provide them with professional connections, collaborative opportunities, and new skills.

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At the conclusion of his internship in the White House, former President Barack Obama shared the following advice with Zamora’s intern class: “Be kind, be useful, be fearless.” Zamora lives by Obama’s quote as he navigates the post-grad professional world.

Tags:  internships Jake Jenkins Javier Zamora Jennifer Kelleher Stephanie Bluestein White House