Controversial Issue: Unpaid Internships

For those of my readers who are looking in to a career in the fashion industry, or any industry for that matter, you will probably know that experience is key. You know that door people harp on about, the one you're aiming to get your foot through? The key is simply experience. But obviously experience isn't that easy to get. Otherwise every man and his (purse) dog would be diving head first through that door in to the stylish dream office, with the latest seasons clothes scattered about the place and male models wandering around half naked (or at least this is how I imagine it to be). 

If you can't get a job without having any experience, but you can't gain experience until you've had a job, then you're put in a bit of an awkward position. Everyone has to start somewhere. And this is the beauty of interning.

Many people say that internships are pretty scarce these days, but I think if you know where to look*, and particularly if you live in London, then it shouldn't be too much of an issue. But what about for those of us who don't live in London? Well, they're pretty tricky to find. And what about those of us who aren't even graduates yet? Even trickier. This is why I consider myself very lucky. I'm still at sixth form, and living in Manchester, but have managed to bag myself an internship for two weeks over the summer at a small brand, working on branding, advertising and imagery (as far as I'm aware). I'll keep you updated on this at the time. 

Now on to the controversial bit. As many of you will know, companies don't tend to pay their interns. At first, you may consider this as fair, as the intern has next to no previous experience, and really the company is doing them a favour. But with the more internships you take on, the more you will learn and the more responsibility you will be given, almost to the point where you're practically doing the job of someone who works there (or so I've heard). So where do we draw the line? Should interns be paid?

Many students coming out of uni can not afford to work for free, being up to their ears in debt and what not. But here's how I (and many others) see it; if the government starts forcing companies to pay their interns, they'll be less likely to offer them, meaning we have to sacrifice the already scarce opportunities to gain some first hand experience. As a result, industries will be even harder to break in to. Of course, there is always the option of a compromise. Whilst I was at the Company Fashion Forum, the speakers explained how it is against the law for a company to have an intern for more than a month without paying them. Now, I don't know how true this is, as from what I've seen from looking at other girls blogs, this 'law' isn't acknowledged everywhere. But maybe this would be a good in between ground? 

This whole topic was sparked slightly by my general studies exam today where I managed to slip this in as a bit of an argument for one of the questions. Sorry for the very 'word-y' post. 

*I highly recommend checking out fashionworkie.com and @ukfashionintern on Twitter. Also, job sites such as gumtree.com can be really good too.

What is your view on unpaid internships? Do you have any work experience opportunities that you have blogged about and would like to share? Leave a comment below, thanks.