Unpaid internships

This last year my office started posting volunteer and service learning opportunities through collaboration with our student involvement office. We’ve been excited to reach a whole new group of employers and to have more opportunities to present to students. But lately I’ve been seeing volunteer positions that almost seem to be replacing regular staff. For example, a government office asking for volunteer receptionists and office help. In my mind I can justify us listing the position if it helps expose that student to particular fields and to develop networking contacts. But some of these just don’t seem like that would happen.

In this tighter economy, we have parents wanting their child to get good paying part-time jobs. But when those parents contact us as employers, they want a lot of assistance for free. I know there are considerations related to the Fair Labor Standards Act and many NACE resources related to unpaid interns. All of the legal issues aside, I just don’t want students to be taken advantage of nor workers to be displaced by free labor.

Chris Timm, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Principles for Professional Practice Committee Chair