There are many companies in existence who are willing to exploit students by expecting them to work for nothing, or at rates below the national minimum wage – even when they are making contributions to the work of the company that would normally be carried out by paid employees.

This approach not only fails to adequately recognise students’ work, but also perpetuates social inequalities when students from lower income backgrounds cannot realistically access an unpaid internship.

The scheme has come as an answer to this inequality.

Leeds Beckett Students’ Union has been working with lecturers from Leeds Beckett University to develop an accreditation system for companies to get behind.

We are delighted to announce that we will be recognising those employers that do offer a fair deal to students who are undertaking internships and short-term placements, both in terms of fair pay and the provision of a valuable work-based learning experience.

It is our hope that by signing up to this scheme, employers will be making a clear statement that they value the contributions of Leeds Beckett students, ensuring that all students can apply for internships and short-term placements with peace of mind, and in turn encouraging other employers to follow suit.

This approach not only fails to adequately recognise students’ work, but also perpetuates social inequalities when students from lower income backgrounds cannot realistically access an unpaid internship.

The scheme has come as an answer to this inequality.

"We are delighted to have achieved gold standard, it is really important to us that everyone that works for us get remunerated well. Businesses are about people, and the people that work for you are the most important. Interns have been getting a bad deal for too long, and too many companies exploit this, for us they are just as important and what they are paid should be reflected in this. We fully support the scheme and are proud to be setting an example to the entire business community and demonstrating to future students that they are just as integral."

“We’re proud to be supporting Leeds Beckett Students' Union’s ‘Fair Deal for Interns’ scheme in a bid to ensure that students are treated fairly and equitably in the workplace. Interns are our future workforce and the lifeblood of the industry, yet PR professionals are among the worst offenders for exploiting interns. We’re keen to do our bit to eradicate this from the industry and demonstrate to best practice in reflection of the value that interns can bring to a business.” Stefanie Hopkins, founder and MD, Faith PR

“We’re proud to align ourselves with Leeds Beckett University’s campaign to call time on unpaid internships. In our bid to professionalise the PR industry, we ought to be treating the next generation of workers with the respect that they deserve. They should be paid for their time, efforts and invaluable contribution to the work we do. Yes, internships are beneficial for them but, as agencies, the interns are similarly beneficial for us so two-way relationships need to be in place.”

“We’re delighted to have achieved the Gold standard for ‘Fair Deal for Interns’. The quality of graduates and ensuring that they are ready for work when they finish their studies is a huge issue for our industry, but it is a shared responsibility between universities, employers and the students themselves to make this happen.
 
“That’s why we strongly believe in providing internships that deliver work experience to a professional standard and that replicate, as closely as possible, what life is like in our industry. In return, interns should expect to be fairly rewarded for their time. Too often they are viewed as a cheap resource and not as your next potential employee.” Tim Downs, director, Aberfield.