Hunton Employment & Labor Perspectives

With a dearth of job openings for recent college graduates, many have pursued unpaid internships while continuing to search for fulltime employment.  A 2008 survey found that half of all college students hold at least one internship before graduating.  In light of the 18.8% March unemployment rate for American workers aged 16-24—nearly double the 9.7% unemployment rate for the workforce at large—this practice can be beneficial for interns, who gain experience and contacts, as well as for employers, who can benefit from having eager interns ready to learn and contribute.