Unpaid internship experiences under national scrutiny
Unpaid internships are leaving college seniors broke and unemployed after graduation, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE). For the third consecutive year, NACE reported survey results showing unpaid internships do not benefit college students, especially in post-graduation employment. In 2013, NACE found 63.1 percent of college seniors who completed a paid internship received at least one job offer, while only 37 percent of former unpaid interns were offered employment. Debby Wall, director of internships at Elon University, argued otherwise. According to Wall, all internships — paid and unpaid — benefit college students by offering course credit and experience. Wall suggested multiple internship experiences are reasons for employment offers, not the intern’s salary.
