I welcome you to my blog and another wonderful edition of the Hive Learners' featured post. This prompt is indeed an interesting one, and just a few weeks back I came across a podcast on TikTok that is related to this topic, and I won't lie, I frowned at those who supported that interns should not be paid because they are learning. Does that mean learning should take away the right to earn? While learning, interns have both basic needs and wants. When they don't get a little thing for the value that they offer, how can they afford to foot these bills? No doubt that interns are gaining hands-on experience and gaining more exposure, but I don't think that is enough reason to take away fair pay.
Interns might be learning, but that does not remove or eliminate the fact that these interns are also bringing value to the company or firm where they are interning, so because they are learning and gaining more experience and exposure, should they not be rewarded for the value that they bring to the company, no matter how small? People get rewarded for bringing or providing value, and interns do exactly the same thing. Why should they be deprived of getting rewards with the excuse that they are learning?
I have a friend who is an intern at an engineering firm; after close supervision and mentorship with his superiors, he was taught everything and today, he supervises the site where they get sharp sand and gravel from single-handedly, from 8am to 5pm. He is at the site making sure that everything goes smoothly, and with him on board, the pressure and workload are reduced, and his superiors now handle other matters while he handles that of sand and gravel supplies, and work is moving smoothly. Now you cannot say that he is not bringing value; you cannot say that he is only learning. Rather, he is learning and also doing the work or job one of the engineers (superiors) would have suspended Other things for.
Now look at the timing of the job; there is no time at all to engage in other activities that could fetch him money or help him sort his bills. Being an intern does not stop bills from coming your way, so in the case where he is not getting paid, how does he cope? Would he want to gain the experience or want to go in search of a job that actually pays? This is a typical example why every intern deserves fair pay, they can be gaining experience and exposure, but that should not be the only way we see it; we should also see that these interns are contributing, they get tasks done, and they contribute whether big or small. All of that makes them useful and a part of the team.
The only time I will support an intern not getting paid is when they have the financial stamina or financial cushion to bear not getting paid or probably when the firm where they are interning makes it flexible for them, thereby giving them the time they need to engage in other activities that actually pay them rather than keeping them busy 24/7 with no pay with the excuse that they are gaining experience.
