Analysis: Why should the government be paying for interns?

By TANYA DE GRUNWALD
Published on 02/08/2012 00:00

WITH more than 40,000 young people unemployed in Scotland, everyone wants a miracle cure, and this internship scheme appears to be just that. But I have serious questions about it.

What kind of work will these interns do, and how much will they be paid? The scheme suggests they will be doing real work. So I hope these interns will be paid properly for it, not just expenses or a measly weekly allowance.

If these interns are going to be paid a proper wage, my second question is why is the government paying for it? If these firms are going to benefit from these young people’s labour, why aren’t they paying for it? Why exactly should the taxpayer subsidise that? And how long will these internships last, and how many interns will be taken on afterwards?

•  Tanya de Grunwald is the author of How to Get a Graduate Job in a Recession.