Work experience exploitation investigation

The splash in today's Guardian should be of interest to any journalism students who are doing or looking for work experience.

The story by Guardian education editor Polly Curtis says the Low Pay Commission is to investigate whether companies are exploiting thousands of graduates by employing them on unpaid, long-term internships.

Several postings about the story on guardian.co.uk mention the media as among those exploiting internships as well as MPs, banks and architects.

Blake 7 says: "It's rather ironic that a media organisation should be pointing this issue out. The media use and abuse countless interns and 'work experience' students every year, promising an insight into the industry and the possibility of a foot in the door and then give nothing. Having done numerous placements at newspapers for my NCTJ diploma, and worked my arse off, I was told there were 'no vacancies'."

When I was on Press Gazette the worst story I was told about work experience was from a journalism student who was offered a week on a top fashion mag. Their "experience" was ironing the clothes for the fashion shoots.