Increasing class inequality around internships report finds
A new report by educational charity the Sutton Trust has revealed a widening gap between working- and middle-class graduates in applying to and securing internships. The gap between working class and middle-class students undertaking internships has increased from 12 percentage points to 20 betwee 2018 and 2024.
Internships are increasingly seen as a route into careers with 51% of graduates completing at least a single internship in 2024. Similarly, employers have increased the number of internships available to target early careers, with 80% of London employers offering internship schemes, compared to 48% in the UK as a whole.
Despite opportunities increasing, a significant number of internships pay very little, or do not offer compensation. The number of internships offering less than the national minimum wage has increased from 9% to 23% between 2018 and 2024. However, the number of internships offering no financial income decreased by 20 percentage points to 21% in the same time period. Only 11% of internships were found through open advertisement, according to the report. Although the proportion of both working- and middle-class students participating in underpaid or unpaid internships has decreased, middle class interns were more likely to obtain a paid position. 20% of internships were found through family members or friends who had contacts with companies or organisations running internship schemes. However, working–class graduates were more likely to proactively seek employers for an internship.
The report also called for unpaid internships lasting over four weeks to be “outright” banned , and any work that was “more” than shadowing a role to recieve at least the national minimum wage. It also called for employers to publicly advertise their internship opportunities and to base recruitment processes on fairness, transparency and merit.
The Labour government has planned to ban unpaid internships under its “New Deal for Working People”, however action on internships was not included in the recent Employment Rights Bill 2024.
