dd been offered an intern position, one day a week, but is not sure about it

[NormaSmuff]

she is going to ask her tutor
i am proud she has got it but she seems to think it was in the bag

is this another name for voluntary work? and is it a Good Thing, she is first year uni

[Allthebestnamesareused]

Does it relate directly to her degree/career path. If so it is excllent to get some experience that may make her stand out ftom other future job applicants.

Even if it doesnot directly relate it shows a willingness to work and commitment which is looked upon favourably. My DH - partner in a large law firm - always looks for someone who has had a job before when selecting trainees - even if in McDonalds as it shows willingness to work and to get somewhere on time!

[bojorojo]

Often intern positions are upaid but can be very, very useful for future career prospects. If it is linked to what she wants to do, then give it a go. If she needs a job that pays money, then she needs to apply for jobs. Often being an intern is a summer holiday experience. Some pay, some don't. It just depends what it is. Some employers really look closely at interns regarding future employment post degree so getting a foot in the door is useful.If it is the right door of course!

[PaintingOwls]

I've had internships which were min wage and others which paid for lunch and travel, which was the minimum I was willing to accept. She needs to find out what the terms are tbh I'm surprised she doesn't already know?

[bojorojo]

My DD did mini pupillages at various Barristers' chambers. Good luck with getting minimum age and travel with them! Got her pupillage though! Working at MacDonalds would not.

[NormaSmuff]

thanks for that.
perhaps i should suggest she puts it off for a few months? but also reiterate how good it will look on her CV

[ThisYearWillbeBetter]

Is it something organised through her university course? If so, then she may be able to do the day a week during term time, as long as she's not timetabled for lectures or seminars on that day. It would be completely inappropriate to miss scheduled classes for a work commitment.

I've had student research interns at my place, during term time, as we arrange the post around a number of hours, so I had 75 hours over 6 months, which the student managed very well. They're paid a basic hourly rate to do interesting but relatively basic support work for my research - doing bibliographic surveys, readying materials for digitisation - that sort of thing. Stuff appropriate to 2nd or 3rd year undergrads. It gives me some much needed help, plus they get experience working with a top researcher & they get my support & mentoring. I read one student's UG thesis (he's now doing a PhD) and discuss career possibilities etc.

That's a scheme within my university. Another place I worked at gave students the opportunity to pitch for a pot of money to support them in doing unpaid internships over the simmer vacation. For students who need to earn over the summer to fund the next year's study, this was a good scheme.

Nowadays I think there is much more regulation of internships - I gather none of them should be unpaid? Or if they are unpaid, they shouldn't be replacing a formerly paid role.

But if it's a good internship, it's very valuable.

[bojorojo]

If an intern is not a worker or an employee they do not have to be paid the minimum wage. //Www.gov.uk has the details. Plenty of internships are unpaid. Student interns as part of their course do not have to be paid the minimum wage. It can be expensive to do one! You have to weigh up how valuable it is, especially in Y1 at university.