For many college students, landing an internship is the best way to line up a job with graduation because of its invaluable experience and networking opportunities. 

The pressure to land an internship isn’t just in their heads. In fact, graduates with internship experience are almost 25% more likely to land full-time employment within six months of graduation. In other words, in today’s competitive job market, an internship feels like a golden ticket to kickstarting your career. 

Many students even feel the pressure to settle for unpaid internships so they can check off the summer-before-senior-year-internship checkbox. But for a growing number, this is a financial hurdle that perpetuates inequality. 

This is because unpaid internships are not just about working for free. They often involve significant costs such as transportation, professional attire, housing in expensive metropolitan areas, and sometimes college credit. These expenses easily add up to thousands of dollars, which closes doors for students from low-income backgrounds.

Additionally, employers often rely on internships as a recruiting pipeline, meaning that the benefits of networking and hands-on experience are even more pronounced. When employers rely on unpaid internships, they inadvertently limit their talent pool to those who can afford to go without a paycheck.

The current system is unfair and unsustainable because it fails to provide equal access to the experiences that are vital stepping stones for career success.

Here are a few things that career services professionals and employers can do to promote equitable access to internships:

Prioritizing paid internships: Employers can make sure that talent isn’t discouraged from applying due to financial constraints by compensating interns fairly for their contributions.

Creating internship programs with stipends: Colleges can create programs that provide stipends to students from disadvantaged backgrounds to help with internship expenses.
Offering remote internship options: Remote internships can reduce costs like transportation and housing, making them more accessible for a larger range of students.

Investing in stronger industry-university partnerships: Colleges and universities can work closely with industry partners by prioritizing funding for employer relations roles in career centers. 

Getting rid of unpaid internships isn’t just about being fair. It’s about giving every student the opportunity to reach their career goals, regardless of their financial background. Additionally, it ensures that students taking on student loans with the hope for a better career are prepared for career success.

Laurie Nilo-Klug is the Founder of Post College Journey, a company dedicated to helping college students line up a job with graduation. She guides career coaching clients through a self-discovery process that helps them develop career paths that align with the life they want to live. Then, she uses her background in marketing to help clients prove to employers exactly why they need to be hired.