Christelle Kwizera a social entrepreneur and founder of Water Access Rwanda shared her concerns about managers who still offer unpaid internships. This was via her twitter page where she mentioned that, “As a student and now an owner, unpaid internships/apprenticeships still don’t make sense to me. Paid ones represent such a tiny percentage of payroll but mean the world to the trainees. It is also the difference in if you can attract trainees from vulnerable/underprivileged backgrounds,” she wrote. In her support, Miche Byus noted that paid internships are even more important for employers noting that paid internships, apprenticeships/industrial attachments help attract and retain talent, hence, employers should think about work-based learning opportunities as a window for talent recruitment. For a long time, interns have been a relevant resource for firms that seek growth; offering that extra ‘pair of hands,’ in turn increasing the company’s capacity in terms of work and effectiveness. Yet many at times, young professionals offer their services at no cost. Robert Mihigo, a manager and software developer says signing interns comes with responsibilities where by the company has to invest in their training. This he says however, shouldn’t be the sole basis of whether to pay or not to pay interns. “I believe, depending on the company, any intern who is actively engaged and contributes to the growth of the company should be compensated for their effort,” he says. Besides, a company that offers paid internships has higher chances of attracting a bigger pool of competent candidates. This gives employers greater chances of choosing the right candidate for a prospective position, Mihigo adds. He is however keen to point out that not all interns measure up to the standards of being compensated for their skills, arguing that some can only do so much and hence need to focus on the training in order to up their skills. “With such, it would be reasonable if a company holds on monetary benefits as it waits on that particular person to improve on their skills.” Ann Umulisa, a business administrator is for the small businesses that might not afford the said expenses. She says, offering a platform for students to gain experience can be enough for the companies who can’t afford to pay their interns. However, for those that can afford it, there should not be any reason not to compensate interns for their work. “This is especially so if, the intern is not a student. Even though they are learning and being trained, they on the other hand are working and are in some way contributing to the company’s growth.” Umulisa is of the view that in case a company cannot afford to pay interns, let them leverage on equipping them with the best skills. In addition to this, the business administrator believes that paying interns is one way of motivating them to take their internship seriously. “With paid internships, interns become more motivated to make the most of the opportunity- taking on more tasks and doing their best to own what they do. This creates a win-win situation for both the employer and intern.” Author Cameron Smith writes that deciding whether or not to pay interns isn’t an easy task. There are moral, legal, and ethical questions surrounding the dilemma—and ultimately, in spite of all the arguments, you have to decide what’s best for your business. She however highlights that paid interns are happy interns, and happy interns are excited to come to work, contribute to the team, and put forth their best efforts. Happy interns also say nice things about your company. With such enthusiasm for your business, these “brand ambassadors” can sell your culture to their friends—a.k.a. your potential future hires—ultimately saving you in recruitment and headhunting costs. And by paying them, you will gain interns with greater flexibility because you won’t be limited to students who can only work a sparse five hours per week in between their paid part-time jobs. That means: They will have more time to work for you—and that’s why you hired them in the first place. Smith notes that if you can’t pay, make it mutually beneficial. On the other hand, it’s easy to see why some employers prefer to hire unpaid interns. For one, you can obviously save a lot of cash. Plus, by freeing up resources, you can provide internships to a greater number of candidates. And since those interns obviously aren’t just looking for a pay check, they are more likely to be truly dedicated to your cause and eager to learn the skills you can provide. “So, you have to give significant thought to the skills and experience you’re providing. If you simply use unpaid interns for coffee runs and personal tasks, you aren’t truly teaching them about your industry.”
