to think this is shocking exploitation!

[knitpicker]

I have a small company and about twice a year we host interns from the continent who want experience and to improve their English. They work 11am-4pm, lunch break, they get paid a small commission if they sell something or if we have a good week of sales. I try to help as much as I can with relevant projects and career guidance. Our current intern (aged 20) has just told me that her friend (18) is working in a creche from 8am to 5pm, five days a week completely unpaid. She has paid for this placement and is working the equivalent of a full-time job for no money at all. I am aghast, AIBU to think this is exploitation and not work experience.

sounds very dodgy to me!

She signed up for what it is, work experience, it would be exploitation if she couldn't ever get time off to do anything. A lot of externs work full time without pay, that's part of the draw for employers.

But conditions and being allowed to do other things will tell if she's being exploited or not.

I'd love to know how they persuaded the Care Commission into approving that one (if they did.)

She asked if she could leave early today and was refused. Was also asked if she would finish at 6pm instead of 5pm - she refused.
I think it is partly the fact that it is a creche - she is looking after children for no pay, the owner hires staff to cover the number of children in his/ her care - if one staff member isn't being paid then the money being charged for children under her care are pretty much all profit for the owner. I would have thought that part of the ethos of work experience is that you are not necessarily central to the generation of cash flow for the business.

I don't know...she's getting the experience on her CV?

I'm paying £951 to get my nursing registration back and I have to do 150 hours in a hospital, unpaid, working as a nurse.