Recently, "paid internship" has once again become a hot topic on the Internet, and posts on topics such as "paid internal promotion", "remote internship" and "paid employment" have appeared frequently. In fact, "paid internships" as a phenomenon have aroused widespread discussion in society in recent years, especially among college students and recent graduates. So, where are the boundaries of "paid internships"? Is it a "trap" for scamming money or a "shortcut" to employment?
Point 1
The products spawned by the market are in line with the optimal allocation of resources
"Paid internship" refers to the mode of college students paying internship fees to "intermediaries" to intern in enterprises, and there is a view that this is a product of the market and should be viewed rationally.
The reporter noted that those who support "paid internships" often emphasize their potential advantages in optimizing the allocation of resources and promoting personal career development.
For example, there are international internship programs on the market that require participants to pay a fee in exchange for overseas internships, language and culture courses, accommodation arrangements, and local life support. These programs, often in partnership with well-known companies, provide students with the experience of working in multinational companies, with the aim of helping interns broaden their international perspectives and improve their cross-cultural communication skills.
Ms. Zhang, a working graduate student who has participated in an exchange program in Spain, said that although the initial investment was large, this experience made her stand out when applying for a job and quickly won the favor of foreign companies.
Some paid internship programs that focus on specific skills or industries, such as fintech and data analytics, will provide interns with systematic training courses, including practical skills such as industry software operation and project management. These projects often not only participate in real-world projects, but also receive one-on-one mentorship from senior data analysts and obtain industry certifications.
Some education economists have pointed out that in the market economy environment, "paid internships" can be regarded as a special service exchange, which provides students with access to scarce resources based on the principle of mutual voluntariness. Especially for students looking for specific upskilling or industry entry opportunities, being able to pay for high-quality training and real-world experience is also an investment in the long run.
Point 2
Deviating from the essence of internships as educational and career preparation
Although there is an argument that in certain cases, if the authenticity and quality of the internship can be ensured, "paid internships" may provide students with a special pathway. On the other hand, there are more warnings that this model has become a grey area for some unscrupulous intermediaries, which not only increases the financial pressure on graduates, but may also lead to further distortions in the internship market.
So, is the "paid internship" worth it? To this question, many "former interns" who have had personal experience have given negative answers on social networks. In Douban's "Study Abroad Group", some netizens posted that "never pay for internships", thinking that paid internships are simply "a waste of money". Some netizens also pointed out directly: "Don't buy paid training courses, they just want to make money."
From these comments, it can be found that "paid internships" can be described as chaotic, and some intermediaries charge high fees, and arrange internships for students that do not match their promises, or simple and repetitive work, which cannot provide substantial learning and growth opportunities.
Tencent recently stated that in recent years, it has been found that there are illegal job search agencies/job search official accounts/individuals posting information about "paid internships", claiming that as long as they pay "intermediary fees", they can have an internship experience, but in fact, such positions are all fake positions, and the so-called internship certificates obtained by students are also false certificates, and even the seals stamped on the certificates are forged.
Obviously, under the dark box operation of some unscrupulous intermediaries, "paid internship" has deviated from the function of internship itself as education and career preparation, and its emergence has made internship a commodity, which not only fails to allow participants to gain substantial value, but also aggravates the disorderly "involution" of the internship market.
Point three
In the long run, it has weakened the sense of responsibility of enterprises for talent training
Aside from the illegal sale of internships, in fact, "paid internships" have been around for a long time in some companies. From a corporate perspective, the "paid internship" program reflects to some extent the diversification of companies' talent development strategies, but also raises concerns about their long-term implications.
In previous years, major tech companies have launched paid "accelerator" internship programs, which provide months of intensive training, program participation and mentorship to students from the world's top universities, with the aim of quickly developing the industry's top talent. While these programs are more expensive, they promise in-depth technical learning and hands-on experience with the project, which is a great addition to the resumes of participants. Critics, however, point out that this approach could lead companies to reduce investment in internal training systems and instead rely on external "ready-to-wear" talent, neglecting the ongoing development of a broader workforce.
Some start-ups with limited funds also have a model of recruiting paid interns through third-party platforms, and these interns pay a certain fee, and the platform takes care of the basic training, and then assigns them to work at the startup. Although this model helps start-ups quickly obtain the talent they need, it also reduces the opportunities for enterprises to directly participate in talent training and cultural construction, which may affect the construction of core competitiveness of enterprises in the long run.
Zhang Chewei, a researcher at the Institute of Population and Labor Economics of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, once pointed out in public speeches and research reports that "enterprises are one of the main bodies of talent training, and should regard employee training and development as part of their core competitiveness." He emphasized that relying on the "paid internship" program as a shortcut to talent introduction, although it can solve the urgent need, but in the long run, it will weaken the internal talent training system of the enterprise, which is not conducive to the formation of a good talent development ecology.
Point 4
All sectors of the community should explore more diversified internship models
Traditionally, internships are not a scarce resource, but economics tells us that all questions related to price can be answered in the relationship between supply and demand. Indeed, the reason why internships are marked with high prices is naturally because they are "in short supply".
It has been pointed out that the controversy over "paid internships" should be explored from the source, and all sectors of society can explore more diversified internship models to promote educational equity and build a healthy talent training ecosystem.
In fact, in recent years, some colleges and universities and enterprises have taken the lead in this regard. For example, as part of its corporate social responsibility, Alibaba's "Green Orange Program" provides free summer internship opportunities for college students, covering technology, products, operations and other fields. The program not only provides internships, but also targeted training and mentorship to help students gain a deeper understanding of the industry and improve their professionalism at no cost.
Li Daokui, a professor at Tsinghua University's School of Social Sciences, said that the government and enterprises should work together to provide more diverse and higher-quality internship opportunities for young students through policy guidance and corporate social responsibility programs. The government could consider providing tax breaks or other incentives to encourage companies to provide free or subsidized internships, which can not only ease the financial pressure on students, but also promote the reasonable flow and training of talents.
These cases and expert opinions show that through government subsidies and corporate social responsibility projects, we can effectively promote the diversified development of internship models, reduce the injustice and chaos caused by "paid internships", and provide graduates with fairer and high-quality internship opportunities, so as to build a healthier and more sustainable talent training ecology.
Post-90s perspectives
Spending money on internships? It is not justified to exist
Today, when internships have become a "stepping stone" for job hunting, the rise of the "paid internship" model has caused widespread controversy. It is true that driven by market logic, the relationship between supply and demand has naturally given rise to various forms of services, but the rationality and legitimacy of "paid internships" are worthy of our consideration.
"Paid internships" seem to open up a shortcut for students, but in fact, they exacerbate the inequality of opportunities, make economic conditions a precondition for internship opportunities, and violate the principle of educational equity. At the same time, it may prompt enterprises to reduce their investment in internal talent training and rely on external "quick products", which will weaken their innovation and competitiveness in the long run, and destroy a healthy talent ecosystem.
The author believes that the essence of internship lies in the transformation of knowledge and skills, and it is the first "handshake" between students and the workplace, and should not be reduced to a monetary transaction. The society should encourage more fair and open internship opportunities, and the government, enterprises and educational institutions should work together to provide students with a high-quality internship platform without payment through policy guidance and school-enterprise cooperation, so as to ensure that every potential young person, regardless of their background, can get a fair competition opportunity at the beginning of their career.
Header image source: Diagram worm