Summer internships are typically made up of students looking for work experience which can give them the edge in their chosen field. In this article we’ll cover what this looks like in practice, and how to comply with your responsibilities if you take on an intern.
What are internships?
An internship is basically a work experience placement at a more advanced level, and the intern is likely to have some sort of knowledge of the industry already.
What can an intern do?
The tasks you hand out to an intern largely depends on what you’re willing to have them do, but it’s important to keep any legal or professional requirements in mind. For example, you probably can’t have an intern go out and start installing boilers by themselves if they’re not Gas Safe!
They might actively undertake work on your behalf, or they might shadow another employee to see how things are done.
Why internships are useful
Offering internships is good for both intern and employer. The intern is gaining valuable real-world experience in a particular field, picking up knowledge and skills and having something to talk about on their CV. For employers, it’s a good way of helping shape the future of your industry.
Who can offer an internship?
Technically there are no restrictions on who can offer an internship, though like any business decision it’s one to consider properly. Large employers are twice as likely to offer them as a smaller business.
What to know about offering an internship
Though anyone may offer an internship, not everyone should. The best internships are to help the intern better understand and experience that industry. It’s not necessarily to be used as a free way of getting the filing done by people who happen to be available over the summer. Which brings us to our next point; paying your interns.
Do I need to pay an intern?
The law says that if they are undertaking the work placement under the following conditions, then you do not need to pay your interns:
- If they are doing an internship to satisfy a requirement of their course
- If you are a charity and they are volunteering
- They are shadowing an employee and not actively working
If you’re offering an internship it needs to be made clear what the pay terms of the placement are. A voluntary internship is allowed, but if they will be carrying out essential and valuable work for you, then it might be that your business needs to think about employing someone.
How much are interns paid?
If this will be a paid internship, then it’s important that you meet the minimum wage requirements for their age. Beyond that, the rate of pay should be worked out just like you would for any other employee, on the basis of skills, experience, and industry standards, etc.
How long does an internship need to be?
Again, this depends completely on you. Internships should only be offered based on your ability to support the intern, so make sure you have the resources available to do this properly – they’re not the same as an employee! They can be anywhere from one day to a year – although the longer it is, the more likely it is that you’ll need to make sure you pay them.
Are there any rules I need to know about hiring an intern?
It’s generally considered sensible to approach taking on an intern as if you were taking on an employee. There are considerations around pay (if it’s a paid internship), but you’ll also need to think about things like insurance, ensuring you don’t discriminate in any way, and making sure all of the proper health and safety regulations are followed!
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