Essay Plan

Essay Plan

1. Overall Argument

   • Internships have positive impact on future career
   • WE gives headstart but over course of career advantages even out
   • If unpaid internships are conducted to same quality as paid then no significant difference

2. Source 1

   • Internships have increased in importance over recent years
     • Why more are being offered
     • no. offered in 2017 dipped - may be an anomaly?? As it goes against trend
     • Future employers clearly want to employ graduates with WE
   • Focuses on paid internships
   • Better employment prospects
     • Once placement is completed recruiters can offer position
       • Student can concentrate on final year exams = better grades = better future career prospects
     • Shows candidates have proven their abilities
     • "first-hand experience"
   • "featured in this research"
     • What organisations have highfliers ltd used??
       • Have they chosen specific businesses to exaggerate the effect of internships on future career success?? - selective bias
     • Use of median average
   • Investment Banking
     • More internships available than jobs - without an internship may be almost impossible to get a job in this field

3. Source 2

   • Unlike sources 1 and 3 focuses on unpaid internships
   • Only evidence against unpaid internships is research by an American study
     • Way unpaid internships are viewed in UK and USA may be very different so not applicable
     • Given no further detail on this study in the article - how many employers and colleges were considered? What part(s) of USA??
   • Lower starting salary
     • May not be less successful over whole course of career
     • Whilst wages are lower skills gained my help graduates progress further in their careers and more quickly
   • Graduate employers quoted in article
     • Heather Baker
       • Discusses a string of short-term internships rather than specifically differences between paid/unpaid
       • May have been specifically chosen for this article since she takes a negative view of internships
       • "Committed to something for a long time" - could apply to a long term paid/unpaid internship
   • Article suggests other ways to gain experience other than internships
   • Provided unpaid internships are conducted properly and skill areas are relevant they can benefit career - same applies to paid internships??

4. Source 3

   • Makes no difference between paid or unpaid - considers both equally
   • Journal Article
     • Peer-reviewed
     • Reliable source as checked by other field experts
     • Relevant as focus specifically on business students
     • Reliable as all data is checked using statistical tests to check for significant differences between interns and non interns
   • Interns give better skill preparation
     • University was only higher in one skill area - oral presentation
     • More skills make it easier to find a job
   • Higher starting salaries for interns
     • Candidates with more experience would be more likely to receive offers at the upper end of the starting salary range
   • Average time to obtain first position was shorter for interns
     • Interns reached salary reviews sooner
     • Internships provide better preparation in job acquisition skills e.g. interviewing and networking
   • Study only considers 4 year period
     • What about beyond this period??
     • Internships may only give headstart
     • Still possible for noninterns to be as successful, may just take longer to reach that point
   • Downsides of internships
     • interns provide a cheap source of labour
     • May lack sufficient quality control
     • Need to be monitored and conducted properly
     • Advantages of attending a good school may overshadow internships