Christine Routzahn, director of professional practice, shares UMBC’s internship process and how it positively impacts the undergraduate experience on WYPR’s “Midday with Dan Rodricks,” which aired last week.
An increasing number of college students are trading traditional summer jobs for internships – and many of them are working for free. It is estimated that half of the more than a million undergraduate internships a year are unpaid. While internships have always been seen as effective stepping stones toward career development and job opportunities, recent lawsuits over unfair labor practices have raised concerns about companies using internships to replace employees with free labor.
“It’s our job to educate our students when accepting an offer. Internships are critical, but it’s important to understand that not all internships are equal,” said Routzahn. “When a student evaluates an offer and is sitting at the interview chair, it is important to ask certain questions and evaluate those answers.”
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