What is the incentive for companies that don't offer paid internships to offer them? From the numbers I expect the higher take up rate of those who did paid is because the company has already invested a significant sum in bringing the student on board.<p>How many of those you list in the paid category were hired by the company who offered the paid internship? I would interested to know if we eliminate those if the numbers are more equal.<p>Playing against paid internships are the new health care laws, companies could bring them on but would many want exceed the hour limit before having to pay out health benefits to what is in effect summer work?<p>No one is forcing anyone here, students if they become more picky as a whole will affect the situation, but trying to turn it into what it is not; an apprenticeship, is not a solution I see as viable. From numbers on Forbes, more than half of unpaid internships are in government or non-profits. Guess private companies aren't the real bogeymen here.
Not working for free is not only a good idea for the interns, it is the law for the companies who put them to work.<p>Fact Sheet #71: Internship Programs Under The Fair Labor Standards Act<p><a href="http://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/whdfs71.pdf" rel="nofollow">http://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/whdfs71.pdf</a>
I've heard HootSuite took advantage of free interns up until recently. The news of that annoyed me, since I used their services and I don't think companies should profit off the backs of students (even if the students are willing). I'll never use HootSuite again.