Carole DeFord wrote
> I think that
> we could all say that it would cheaper for us in time and staff
> productivity not to have internships at all but that is not our way of
> sharing so we accept and value our interns, we just can't seem to find
> a sponsor to fund that line of our financial statement.
This echoed a sentiment that keeps nagging at me as I spend time,
materials, and money on advertising (we are not that aggressive to call
it recruiting) and supervisng unpaid interns. It really costs the host
institution quite a bit in real money terms not to mention staff time.
Depending on the intern I have found that it can take more time and
effort to have one, than to do all ofthe work myself. Interns are great
and I feel a certain amount of profesional obligation to not only host
them, but to also make sure they get a quality education experience, not
just menial tasks, as I knowsome mentors do, but when they become more
burdensome than helpful I will reevaluate them for my department at
least, I cannot speak for other depts.
I thought Robin Panza was a bit harsh with his/her reply, but it also
made me want to echoe his/her sentiments by saying something equally
harsh that hit me as I read everyone complaining about unpaid
internships. Interns need museums more than museums need Interns. I
know this sounds rude, but all potential interns should keep this in mind
before they complain about whatever help a host institution can offer.
Paula Malloy later wrote:
>However, with an internship, the Museum DOES benefit directly from the
intern's work. Many
>people posting to this thread have already eloquently testified to that
>fact.
And as others have pointed out some internship programs take more work
and money than is gained, even when unpaid. I do not know if our
instituiton is one of them I was given the title and responsibilities of
internship coordinator only recently. This job was given to me on top of
my regular job which was already taking 60+ hours per week. When am I
supposed to find the time to search for funding for these interns? A
job that I may add that pays so little I have to take a part time retail
job to keep bills paid. So interns are upset they have to go 6 or more
months unpaid or underpaid for their work? Welcome to the profession.
(I am not really as bitter as I sound, but if everybodey else gets to
make whine out of their sour grapes, so can I : } )
Good Luck to all interns out there, paid and unpaid, you have only begun
sacrificing for the most rewarding career I know!!
Matthew A. White
Director of Education
Baltimore Museum of Industry
1415 Key Highway
Baltimore, MD 21230
(410)727-4808
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