Should college students receive wages during internships? Is the value of an internship measured by its compensation or the experience gained? Recently, a reporter from Information Times conducted a survey and found that many students consider whether they will be paid as the primary factor in deciding to take an internship. Many companies find this difficult to accept.
An industry insider pointed out that students should not approach internships with such a utilitarian mindset. Instead, they should first identify their career goals and job positioning.
### College Students: Wages are "Rightfully Deserved"
Recently, the reporter conducted a random sampling questionnaire survey on the issue of "whether interns should prioritize wages or experience" among employed individuals who had internship experience during university and current third- and fourth-year university students. Among the 30 third- and fourth-year students surveyed at Foshan University of Science and Technology, 76% believed that "internships should come with wages," and among them, 80% prioritized compensation if both wages and experience were equally important.
"A wage doesn't have to be large, but it is deserved," said Xiao Ou, a fourth-year student interning at a web company in Chancheng District. He explained that he indeed contributed labor during his internship and even generated some benefits for the company, so he believed the company should offer interns some form of salary or compensation.
Similarly, Xiao Zhu, who is currently undergoing her graduation internship, shared Xiao Ou's view. Xiao Zhu has been interning at a television station for over three months, during which she learned editing, interviewing, and participated in several major reporting projects. As she became more familiar with the work, her workload gradually increased. She said that initially, she didn't care much about compensation, but later, when she became proficient in her tasks, she hoped the internship unit would provide her with some form of remuneration.
Additionally, the survey results showed that over 85% of students prioritized wages due to "increased living burdens." "Internships can last three to four months or even longer, and with rising prices, the expenses during this period will be significant, increasing the pressure on daily life," said Ah Kun, a fourth-year student at the same college. He mentioned that if the internship unit does not clearly state that there will be wages or related subsidies, he usually wouldn't consider it seriously.
Moreover, nearly 70% of students believed it was "only natural." "I'm about to graduate and look for a job, so receiving appropriate compensation like others is beyond reproach. To intern and accept zero salary is something I cannot psychologically accept," responded Xiao He, a fourth-year student.
### Employed Individuals: Learning and Accumulating Experience is More Important
Conversely, in a survey of 30 employed individuals, about 60% valued "learning and accumulating experience" during internships. Xiao Huang, currently a text editor at a magazine, recalled her six-month internship at a city-level party newspaper during her fourth year of university. She said that aside from partial bus fare reimbursement from the school, all other expenses were borne by herself. Xiao Huang felt that internships were mainly about learning relevant knowledge and gaining experience to prepare for future job hunting after graduation. "Of course, if I could receive a wage during the internship, it would be ideal, but the focus isn't on any generous treatment."
"I think the purpose of an internship is to learn things. It's very important that someone is willing to accept you and teach you genuine skills," said Mr. Xie, who works in the engineering department of a company responsible for programming technology. He added that the experience gained during internships significantly helps future work. He also revealed that finding professional internships used to be challenging, and many of his peers had to pay the internship units to secure opportunities.
### Companies: Not Unwilling to Pay, But Hard to Accept the "Wage-Oriented" Mindset
"Recruiting several interns, requiring associate degree or higher, no specific major..." This is a recruitment advertisement posted by a Foshan advertising company on a job website. The reporter found over 100 internship-related postings by companies on a well-known Foshan recruitment website in the past three months.
"Many students prioritize wages"
From one of the recruiting advertising design companies, the reporter learned that while the number of resumes submitted by students applying for internships was acceptable, the actual number of students coming to intern was not high. Ms. Feng, responsible for human resources at the company, disclosed that most students who came for interviews primarily cared about whether they would receive wages or subsidies during the internship. Ms. Feng explained that the company recruited inexperienced college students and assigned professional project staff to guide interns through projects. However, there was no designated salary for interns, only basic meal allowances. Despite this, interns at the company had the opportunity to become full-time employees. "Many students still don't accept it," Ms. Feng helplessly stated.
In contrast, companies offering wages or higher subsidies were more popular. A beauty care company in Nanhai District offered interns certain wages or subsidies and helped purchase accident insurance. "Recently, three branches of our company have hired several interns, and the situation is quite good," said Ms. Ma, the company's manager.
"Students shouldn't only focus on short-term benefits"
The reporter learned that employers do not intentionally withhold interns' compensation. Mr. He, who runs a software development studio, said that providing interns with wages is reasonable, and many companies now sign relevant labor agreements with interns to protect mutual interests. What is harder to accept is the psychological expectation that interns must be paid during their internships. He believed that companies hire interns because of work or business needs, and they have a certain workload. However, from another perspective, companies also provide a valuable practical platform for learning and accumulating experience. Additionally, companies incur training and operational costs. If interns solely focus on returns, such a mindset is unacceptable.
Ms. Xu, the operations director of a magazine, also expressed that companies recruit interns mainly to expand their talent pool and reserve talent early. She believed that during internships, college students could explore their interest in the industry, and the company could evaluate whether the interns fit the position. After graduation, students could directly join the company. "Students actually shouldn't only see short-term benefits," Ms. Xu said.
### Industry Experts: Internships Are About Finding the Right Position, Not Rushing for Wages
Regarding the phenomenon of interns generally valuing wages, Mr. Guo Xiaoliang, a frontline teacher at Yan'an University, told reporters that students today should not approach internships with such a utilitarian mindset.
Mr. Guo indicated that if internship units can provide subsidies or corresponding compensation, it is certainly beneficial for interns, as students are a relatively disadvantaged group, and subsidies and compensation can significantly alleviate their living difficulties. However, this should not be the sole motivation. Mr. Guo emphasized that since students lack experience, the goal of internships is to gain experience, find suitable platforms, and lay a foundation for future work. "Wages will eventually come, but internship opportunities aren't always available. With university studies yet to be completed, there's no need to rush for wages over three months," he said. He believed that compared to compensation, the platform provided during internships is more important.
Mr. Qian Canping, Dean of Student Affairs at Foshan University of Science and Technology, also believed that interns should prioritize employment prospects. According to different internship content and workloads, interns may receive varying levels of compensation or subsidies. Some stronger public service units or institutions may not necessarily provide wages to interns. He thought that before starting an internship, students should first clarify their career goals and job positioning. "If you've determined the direction and positioning of your internship, then you should tolerate and endure, just like being in a relationship," Mr. Qian said.