Written by: Emmanuel Kwesi

It's no secret that interns are often undervalued and underappreciated in the workplace. They are seen as temporary, expendable workers and are often given the most menial and undesirable tasks. They are often not given the same level of respect or consideration as regular employees, and they are often not given the same opportunities for advancement or growth. This situation is not only unfair to interns but also detrimental to the workplace as a whole.

When employed, interns are usually eager and enthusiastic to learn the job. They come with an open mind to develop their skills, acquire new skills, get mentorship, create a career path, build networks, and be under the tutelage of professionals in their field. Unfortunately, this is not always the case; interns are neglected, they get lost in the cultural web of organizations, and they have no voice as their supervisors speak on their behalf. This may be a positive or negative outcome, since their career growth and promotion are dependent on their leaders.

Many have suffered at the hands of bad leaders who don’t recognize their contribution; they take all the glory and get acknowledged by top management, thereby leaving their subordinates behind. It can lead to feelings of hopelessness and despair and even cause some interns to give up on their dreams of a career in their chosen field.

Other interns are abused; they are used as messengers; regular staff see interns as errand staff (asked to park cars, source for breakfast, lunch, etc.); domestic office staff (used for cleaning their desk, microwave their food, get water from the office fridge, clean their food flasks, etc.). At the end of the day, these interns are not learning or gaining valuable experience during their internships because the time they would have used to acquire or develop skills is used for running errands.

The mistreatment of interns is not only unjust, but it's also deeply hurtful and demoralizing. They are often young and eager to learn, but their energy and enthusiasm are often met with exploitation and neglect. They may be doing the same work as regular employees but without the same level of recognition or compensation, and it brought me to ask the question: internship or "indentured servitude"? Most interns are not paid for their work. This means that a significant portion of interns are effectively working for free, which is essentially a form of modern-day slavery.

The lack of appreciation and compensation for interns can be incredibly disheartening. This can take a real toll on interns, leaving them feeling used, undervalued, and even angry. They may begin to feel like they're not good enough or that their hard work is not worth anything.

Some potential solutions to these problems include:

· Ensuring that all interns are paid fairly for their work.

· Providing clear and meaningful learning opportunities for interns.

· Create structured internship programmes with defined learning objectives, mentorship, and training sessions.

· Providing regular feedback and mentorship for interns.

· Creating an environment where interns feel like they are a valuable part of the team.

· Develop clear internship agreements outlining roles, responsibilities, and expectations for both the intern and the organization. Ensure that interns understand their rights and the benefits they should receive.

· Making sure that interns are treated with respect and dignity by all members of the organization.

· Conduct exit interviews or surveys with interns to gather feedback on their internship experience. Use this feedback to continuously improve the programme.

To conclude, the exploitation of interns is a serious problem that needs to be addressed. By implementing some of the solutions I mentioned, we can help to ensure that interns are treated fairly and given the opportunity to learn and grow. If we can make internships a positive and beneficial experience, it will lead to a more productive and innovative workforce. After all, interns are the future of our workforce, and we should do everything we can to help them succeed, and improve the legacies of their respective workplaces.

Emmanuel Kwesi

Author

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