Internships and the National Minimum Wage - Frequently Asked Questions

More and more employers, careers advisors and placement tutors are asking what guidance there is regarding the payment of graduate interns.

These frequently asked questions have been prepared by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills department (BIS) (formerly DIUS) as a guide. They stress that employers should ensure the graduate intern does not satisfy the 'workers test' and that there should be no legal obligation on either side to provide the work or do the work. The following are our tips to students:

NCWE's tips to help students and graduates avoid exploitation:

Discuss the purpose of the internship and clarify expectations from the start
Ensure the placement is valuable – does it give insight into a particular industry? Will it improve certain skills or clarify career aspirations?
Discuss the possibilities of any future paid work with employer, pointing out the skills that you have gained during the internship
Re-consider the value of the internship if it ceases to supply useful contacts and training opportunities
Everyone has a choice and if the balance between valuable work experience tips into exploitation then it is up to you to decide whether to continue or not