Internships were never meant to be someone’s first job after graduation. They were designed to be short training experiences for students to build skills before entering the workforce. However, since the pandemic, attitudes toward employment and internships have changed. What used to be a supplement to education is now a requirement for getting noticed, even after earning a degree.
A Hostile Job Market for Post-Graduates
Many internships are unpaid, making them a luxury that only some can afford. For a generation already dealing with student debt and a fragile economy, “free work” has quietly become the cost of entry into professional life. True “entry-level” roles barely exist anymore, and “junior” roles have started asking for at least 2 years of experience or a master’s degree. As a result, internship applications from college graduates have surged as they find themselves taking these positions just to stay afloat.
Part of the reason post-graduate internships have become so common is the recession. The pandemic, inflation, and now the rise of AI have all contributed to making the job market more turbulent. Graduates who enter the workforce during such an economic downturn tend to earn less and have less stable careers. Companies cut full-time roles and use internships as temporary, low-cost labor to fill the gaps.
Unpaid Interns Still Need to Pay their Bills
However, the burden of this new internship economy isn’t shared equally. Living in the cities where these roles are offered, covering daily expenses, and having time to take on unpaid or low-paying work all require resources that not everyone has. As an article from Learning Cycle points out, the paradox of “entry-level jobs” requiring experience impedes diversity. Such roles are ultimately filled by the most privileged who can afford to work for free, leading to the exclusion of many low-income, Black, Hispanic, and female students.
The unpaid experience economy has become a structural flaw. When wealth becomes the gateway to opportunity, we no longer have a meritocracy, we have a rigged game. To fix this, we need to rethink the entire pipeline. Fairly paid internships should be the norm, not the exception. Governments and institutions must create subsidized job programs for recent graduates, especially during times of economic downturn, so that opportunity isn’t tied to personal finances.
Create Accessible Entry Points for the Next Generation
At the same time, we need to once again redefine what “entry-level” actually means. We have to make space in the workforce for beginners, not just because it’s fair, but because it’s how industries grow. The people we call unskilled today are the ones who will become the experts of tomorrow. If we only make room for the most privileged, we shrink the talent pool before it even has a chance to develop.
Unpaid work might seem like a temporary fix, but its effects are lasting. It widens gaps between class lines and sends the message that only those with resources deserve opportunity. If we want a future where talent, grit, and potential are what count, then we need to stop treating experience as a privilege and start treating it as a right. Because in a just society, nobody should have to work for free to prove they belong.
This article was written by a guest contributor, A. Orui.
Everyone is welcome! We offer DEI programs tailored to meet the needs of all experience levels—find out more about our workshops here.
