Unpaid internships

[Sunshine55]

Am I being unreasonable to think that unpaid internships should be banned. It seems a lot of companies just use this as an excuse for unpaid workers and once their contract has finished they get someone else in for unpaid work its just not fair.

I think it's wrong if it's the only realistic way into a career.

We do, however, take people on unpaid work experience at my firm, sometimes for extended periods.

We don't advertise for them - they approach us and ask.
We aren't replacing a paying job - we can do without them, but it never hurts to have another pair of hands around and it speeds up what would be happening anyway.
We try to make sure it's mutually beneficial.
Many of them do it part time around other jobs/studying.

I don't see why we and they should be banned from doing this. We aren't exploiting anyone. Not all these things are bad.