On another occasion, at another record company, I spent 19 hours hard labour, picking up and stacking heavy boxes, single-handedly doing the complete inventory of a record company. When I finally emerged from the basement after finishing the job (and injuring my back), the head lawyer shooed me away. When I insisted the job was done, he then requested that I reorganise all the boxes into alphabetical order. I refused, citing the unnecessary nature of the physical labour, my injury and desire to do legal work. In response, he said: “You can fuck off, or I can get someone else to do it.”

His response sums up exactly how I feel about internships. I was lured by promises of articles, of full time jobs. I was duped by The Smiths’ You Just Haven’t Earned It Yet Baby. I figured if I did enough (and I did it well), this would be recognised and I would be thanked, at least. I would be naive to believe that things would have been different had I returned to the basement that second time… but for all my goodwill and physical labour, it all meant nothing.

To reflect his sentiments exactly, there is another chump there and ready to do it for nothing.

This needs to be stopped.

I wouldn’t trade my experience I got working for my organization in a million years. It lead to a full time job. However, I did feel the financial burden of not getting paid.

I don’t think we need to strike or go to those extreme measures, because organizations will just hire someone else. What we need to do is educated organizations and the government about how tough it is to work for free. Solutions can range from minimum wage to honorariums, to governments either supplying the organization with money to pay for the intern, or supplying the student with a grant/loan.

Very well put. Especially the egalitarian part. I have just graduated summer this year with a first. it has benefited me going to Uni as an individual and made me a faster and more thorough designer (industrial). But as far as the paper of the degree is concerned I feel it will mean little compared to as once was perhaps 10 years ago. I was under the misunderstanding it would mean more, especially obtaining a good result, but how times have changed. By the way I am no spring chicken having gone to Uni at the tender age of 34 (37 now).

It will be my work experience that may cut it and not the degree at all. This culture of exploitation is rife in this industry as well and needs to be stamped out fast or our economy will be based on unlawful and short-sighted foundations.

ALL students and UNIS and teachers need to co-ordinate and act together and say enough is enough now. Can’t see it happening soon though. There is a lot of apathy and resignation about. My exit from UNI was – see you we’ve had yer money now, bye!!!

Also the WORLD needs to create new employment opportunities for the many…that is another issue!

Its up to graduates to say no and not perpetuate this culture because the employers are quite clearly exploited a jobs market flooded by graduates. I cant believe the government are still promoting univesity to people knowing full well in 3 years their oppotunities are non existant.

As for me personally, i would of been better off going to a tv company at 16 and saying that ill make tea and mop the floors, because after graduating at 22, i was asked to do exactly the same thing.