RE: “Money isn’t everything in internships,” Nov. 20-26.
In the Nov. 20-26 issue of the Charlatan, an opinion article wrote about the importance and value of unpaid work.
Unpaid work is important and can help students and graduates gain valuable experience.Truth is, I’ll learn as much, if not more, from volunteering for community publications than from school.
But unpaid work isn’t for everyone.
Often students struggle to launch their careers where “free work just seems to be expected” as the author of the Nov. 20 piece points out.
This is especially true when adding on paying for basic necessities and tuition. I’m two years away from having to begin paying off approximately $40,000 worth of student loans. And contrary to what Bank of Canada governor Stephen Poloz thinks, not all students live in their parents’ basements for free.
There are two options for me: find a paid internship or wait tables at Swiss Chalet.
I admit the latter isn’t so bad. But it wouldn’t be ideal.
I grew up quite poor and hope to see that part of my life in my rear-view mirror.
Like many others, I want to jumpstart my career after graduating. Just because I can’t afford to do more unpaid work shouldn’t mean I have to delay my career ambitions by several years.
Unpaid work ultimately works against class mobility. Often, applicants of unpaid internships are those who are able to afford it most.
Last summer, I could have written for a community newspaper but had to return to my minimum wage job in order to earn enough money to pay for second year.
Yes, there are bursaries, scholarships, and grants, but not everyone qualifies for them.
Often, financial help can only sustain students through the school year. Each summer, they return to low-wage jobs instead of doing valuable unpaid work as a result.
It’s a vicious cycle.
Results from Carleton’s recent version of the National Survey of Student Engagement, point to financial problems as a major issue for students.
Paying a cash-strapped intern for something others get paid for would go a long way to helping students pay for school while learning valuable skills.
