As an intern, it can be frustrating to see your full-time, salaried counterparts roll out of the parking lot at 5 p.m. in their ’09 Camrys, knowing they are headed home to luxuries like cable TV and a non-microwaved meal. 

Internships rarely offer competitive wages if they offer compensation at all, and the work can be taxing when coupled with classes and other jobs. Yet, instead of crying oneself to sleep at night, despairing the hours that could be more lucratively spent bartending or answering phones for the Wisconsin Alumni Association, it is helpful to think of internships as, essentially, extensions of education. 

University students pay tuition for classes, so it makes sense that an internship would incur costs as well – business attire, transportation, sometimes relocation costs and the odd business lunch. Post-graduation, that experience could be what nudges your resume ahead of the pack. 

That is, if you have any skills to show for it afterward. 

If we are to think of internships as pseudo-classes, there is a glaring disconnect: while professors must receive years of training, and curricula are subject to governmental scrutiny, all internship experiences can range from stellar to abysmal. Why, then, does nearly every college student seek them out and stick with them for months at a time, regardless of quality? 

For the most part, it is a response to our elders’ call that this is the only path to future prosperity, and the fear that there may be no alternative. Internships are competitive, so, even if the one that a student happens to land is not offering a sufficient environment for learning and growth, he or she may wait it out if only to be ensured a so-so letter of recommendation in the end.
If we are to allow private organizations to play such a large role in our education, there ought to be far more criteria on what an internship should entail, especially one that does not offer any sort of stipend. 

This is primarily an appeal for private organizations that offer internships to keep students’ best interests in mind, as well as a wakeup call for students.
Some, but not all, internships go something like this: “The old intern used to do it like this … I bet you’ve never used Powerpoint before, how exciting! … You are absolutely welcome to ask me any questions you might have, except not right now, I have a meeting and will be swamped for a while … What’s your major again? … Sorry to ask you to file all of this, but I suppose this kind of stuff is a rite of passage for you interns!” 

If businesses truly posted internship positions with the intention of educating tomorrow’s workforce, they would tailor the position to fit each intern instead of assigning them whatever extra work needs to get done. Students need to stop this cycle of wasted time and talents at internships that are not designed to challenge or foster their continued learning. Accepting a position like this is equivalent to handing over a voucher for free time and labor during one of life’s most pivotal times, financially and developmentally. 

I had the privilege of walking into my first internship, somewhat blindly, and coming out on top; my mentors explained their expertise and what they could do to help me in those fields. They worked with me to set my own goals, gave me feedback and adequate attention and entrusted me with responsibilities that resulted in plenty of portfolio fodder. I rarely ran errands, and never answered phones. As a post-grad friend of mine, currently undergoing a graphic design internship, recently put it: “I love what I’m doing. It doesn’t feel like a job, so, for right now, I don’t mind not getting paid.”

It would be only fair, in an economic system that prides itself on being an equal-opportunity meritocracy, for everyone who applies and qualifies for an internship to benefit from these opportunities. For that to happen, internship providers need to step up. Until then, students ought to value themselves enough to demand something more substantial. 

Most college students these days tout a hefty list of internships on their resume, in order to prepare for the “must have 2-3 years work experience” line that will eventually abound on real-world job postings. Assuming that an employer accepts internship roles as work experience, this still begs the question: Has that ragtag assortment of internships completed during college truly fostered a competitive body of skills needed for the job market? 

Not when interns cycle through and do the same work year after year, essentially filling an unsalaried position within the company. At best, an internship like that is a temporary frustration. At worst it’s an exploitative insult.
So, by all means, please continue to offer internships. They are an integral part of the career-preparation process, and can provide real-world, hands-on learning in ways universities cannot. But to do that, companies must thoughtfully design them with students in mind.

Sarah Witman ([email protected]) is a senior majoring in journalism and environmental studies.