Internships Are Not a Privilege
And while many Americans believe fervently and faithfully in expanding opportunity, America’s internship-industrial complex does just the opposite.
.. We often hear that success is “all about the people you know” — as if it’s just a matter of equal-opportunity relationship building. We rarely talk abouthow one knows them, or about the privilege that has become a prerequisite to knowing the right people.
.. America’s current internship system, in which contacts and money matter more than talent, contributes to an economy in which access and opportunity go to the people who already have the most of both.
.. Fortunately, there is another option. Many organizations are beginning to pay interns. This is important because employers should not only compensate students for their time and contributions, but also eliminate barriers that prevent low-income and underrepresented students from pursuing these opportunities.