Unpaid internship - any help available?

SuziQ

Amanda, my DD completed a 4 year English and Spanish Law degree and has been in the same position. She completed one internship whist working her 'free days' at Wimpy. She is now doing a second internship and is working at Macdnalds to fund herself through that. I am proud that she came out of Uni determined to work, was determined not to stay on JSA and was not too proud to take a lowly position to pay her way!

I personally feel it is very unfair that these talented young adults are working unpaid 5 days a weeks and are then having to work somewhere like Macdonalds to have any income, but presently it seems they have no choice . My DD is hopeful that eventually she will land a well paid position that will require her skills and all I can do is support her in the meantime!

seven-day-weekend

SuziQ wrote: »

Amanda, my DD completed a 4 year English and Spanish Law degree and has been in the same position. She completed one internship whist working her 'free days' at Wimpy. She is now doing a second internship and is working at Macdnalds to fund herself through that. I am proud that she came out of Uni determined to work, was determined not to stay on JSA and was not too proud to take a lowly position to pay her way!

I personally feel it is very unfair that these talented young adults are working unpaid 5 days a weeks and are then having to work somewhere like Macdonalds to have any income, but presently it seems they have no choice . My DD is hopeful that eventually she will land a well paid position that will require her skills and all I can do is support her in the meantime!

I know a young Spanish lady in Spain who has a similar degree from Malaga University and she can't get a job either and is working in a bar.

Fashion design? Well it seems to me that this is so competitive that unless you have a name (McCartney or Beckham) and/or millions in financial backing (ditto), then you will be working for nothing for a very long time.

I would advise her to get some transferable skills and other work experience, and then try to get a job (any job) to pay the bills, whilst working towards her dream.