Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
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David Willetts comments on IPPR report on unpaid internships

David Willetts comments on IPPR report on unpaid internships

News Release issued by the COI News Distribution Service on 30 July 2010

Commenting on the report by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) and Internocracy on unpaid internships, Minister for Universities and Science David Willetts said:

"We will be considering the IPPR report carefully over the coming weeks.

"Young people have been the biggest victims of the recession. We are committed to helping them get into work and realise their ambitions. Internships can contribute to this, but the exploitation of interns is unacceptable and employment legislation must not be breached.

"Over the past 12 months, BIS has encouraged employers to offer graduate internships to help graduates develop their skills and boost their employment prospects. Over 22,000 internships have been advertised on the Graduate Talent Pool website, which is now open to 2010 graduates as well as those who graduated during 2008 and 2009. Nearly two thirds of these internships have been paid."

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