Complexities surrounding unpaid internships for historically disadvantaged students on Westville Campus, University of KwaZulu Natal.

Abstract

The primary aim of this study is to investigate the complexities surrounding internships among UKZN Westville students. This includes knowledge, attitudes, perceptions and behaviors towards internships (especially unpaid internships). To limit the scope of the relevant data and strengthen the study, this study draws from the employment relationship framework – under the larger umbrella of labour relations. This theoretical framework was instrumental in the entire study in terms of using the right research methods to better answer the research’s questions. The theoretical framework also limits generalisations by identifying the key elements and connections that inform the study’s direction. The framework is structured around four (4) elements or sub-theories: the unitarist, pluralist, Marxist and radical. This study adopted an explorative qualitative research approach for collecting the required data and the analysis thereof. In this qualitative research both semi-structured and in-depth interviews were used to evaluate the complexities surrounding internships among UKZN Westville students. A non-probability sampling method was used to recruit a total sample size of 15 participants. The findings from this study revealed that there are various factors influencing the complex relationship between unpaid internships and graduate employment within the studied population. Here, the results found that lack of compensation, social class, discrimination, favouritism, nepotisms, and lack of paid internships are some of the factors that impact on the complexities surrounding internships among UKZN Westville students. The results from this study further highlight that difficulties to get paid internships or work experience programmes is a challenge which restrict the potential for under-privileged groups to secure their first employment. In other words, the difficulties to find paid internships or work experience programme for under-privileged groups is related to the lack of work experience itself since they do not have the luxury of working for free while still taking care of their financial needs. In conclusion, the results from this study present a direct evaluation of the association between social class and graduates’ internships, and ultimately employability. The role of legal frameworks and stakeholders (such as government, higher institutions and employers) ultimately has the potentials to improving youths and/or graduates’ employability through the promotion of paid internships.