Has anyone ever done an Internship?

On a related note, to Jazzythumpers post that is, http://www.architecture.com/NewsAndPress/News/RIBANews/News/2011/RIBALowPay.aspx

The culture of internships has fuck all to do with the Tories and Has been around since quite a bit before 2010. I still want David Cameron to die in a fire but this has very little to do with him, if anything, its a new labour legacy.

Like has been mentioned, in some industries, its the only way in so calling people fuckers for doing it is a bit off. I wouldn't dream of interning for most jobs anyway.

It's clear the system needs changing but how can the cycle be broken?

I'd find it difficult to see how most internships that either don't pay food and travel or do pay food or travel don't fall into the following categories of an illegal internship

*In order to be owed the National Minimum Wage you need to be considered a “worker.” The Department for Business Innovation and Skills states:

A “worker” is someone who works under a contract of employment or any other kind of contract (express or implied) whereby they undertake to do work personally for someone else (and they are not genuinely self-employed).

[I]A contract does not have to be written and can be oral or implied. Key elements in establishing whether someone has a worker’s contract include:

whether there is an obligation on the individual to perform the work and an obligation on the employer to provide the work, and

whether the individual is rewarded for the work by money or benefits.*[/I]

From the LSESU website here

Its seems there little clear and explicit guidance on this.

On a related note, to Jazzythumpers post that is, http://www.architecture.com/NewsAndPress/News/RIBANews/News/2011/RIBALowPay.aspx

It's good to see the RIBA taking a stance against internships again, but difficult to see how they would enforce this anyone wanting there experience sheets signed is not going to shop their practice in to the RIBA.

I think more needs to be done

I have written and re-written my reply a few times now and I'm gonna keep my answer simple because no matter how much I try and justify internships I just sound like a dick...

I interned for a year in that year I had 6 different internships. I only completed 4. This is because I felt 2 where taking advantage of there interns and using them as workers rather than giving experience.

The lack of payment did suck but I did (in the end) benefit from it as I did get to intern/work in companies that I couldn't work in now as a professional.

The only way to break the cycle is by having a conscience when choosing an internship which I'm sure you have or you wouldn't have started this post.

If anyone feels that them are good enough to be paid for their standard of work then they shouldn't even be looking at internships. If you feel you need to gain experience then do an internship or two which by the end of you will be more than employable. The only reason I did so many is because tried a few different fields of the creative industry before choosing my path.

The photography industry has died in this country because everyone started working for free.

I've been in design for 20+ years and I can remember when things were bad (before the net spawned millions of jobs) when tv advertisements urged companies to advertise because nobody was parting with their hard earned dosh.

Now they have Harvey the dog, a dog which advertises itself on television to advertise television advertising.

If you work for nowt, as soon as you leave the next bozo takes your place and weakens the industry you are involved even further.

I now go by the Henry Hill method...

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0c3bhh8fqYs"]Fuck
You-Pay Me! - YouTube[/ame]

Assume this is a blatantly illegal internship?

http://www.dezeenjobs.com/2012/10/11/architectural-internship-at-zuhause/

this program with Hilary Devey is dynamite!!!!
quality London life