Common best practice code for quality internships

A pamphlet produced by the Gateways to the Professions Collaborative Forum

Introduction

In recent years, in order to pursue a professional career, it has become increasingly important to gain experience through an internship, in addition to academic qualifications. In addition, it is acknowledged that high-quality internships can also have significant benefits for employers. Employers can evaluate interns ‘on the job’ for a set period of time or for a specific project and are also able to access new skills and talent in a cost-effective way thereby identifying the best candidates for vacancies within the organisation. Greater access to high quality internships also helps to meet social and corporate responsibility objectives by promoting social mobility and diversity in the professions.

The July 2009 Final Report of the Panel on Fair Access to the Professions (PDF 167pp) concluded that a significant proportion of internships did not provide high-quality work experience. The report also identified several barriers to fair access including a lack of internship opportunities and the increased likelihood that able people would encounter obstacles without sufficient financial resources to undertake unpaid internships or without relevant personal connections. The Panel recommended that the professions, government, trade unions and the third sector work together to produce a Common Best Practice Code for High-Quality Internships.

This common best practice code has been developed in response to the Final Report of the Panel on Fair Access to the Professions. It describes the core elements required in order to obtain maximum benefit from internships for both interns and employers.

This common best practice code draws on the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development’s (CIPD) 2009 publication Internships that Work: a Guide for Employers. The Gateways to the Professions Collaborative Forum would like to express its appreciation to the CIPD for the use of this content in the creation of this document. The guide can be viewed at www.cipd.co.uk/publicpolicy/_internships-thatwork.htm (PDF 16pp)

Published by the Trades Union Congress on behalf of the Gateways to the Professions Collaborative Forum.

BIS reference URN: 11/1068

Full document (PDF 16pp)

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