Unions have called for the establishment of an internship code of practice, amid revelations young people are paying more than $2000 to do unpaid work experience.
The Sydney Morning Herald reports that companies such as Australian Interns is charging between $1740 and $2060 for internships running up to 12 weeks.
Unions NSW Secretary, Mark Lennon will present his concerns about intern exploitation to a NSW Upper House Inquiry.
He said the development and needs of interns had to be the first priority.
"It’s deeply concerning to us that in some cases, interns are paying for the privilege of doing unpaid work. This is an abhorrent practice,” Mr Lennon said.
"Internships are not necessarily a bad thing, but we need a code of practice that cleans this process up and ensures that young people are not vulnerable to exploitation.
"Without proper regulation, internships have the capacity to undermine both the job security of those already in the workforce and the intern seeking to gain critical skills and experience.
"Some employers clearly exploit this practice, and it’s even more concerning that some organisations are attempting to make money from it.”
"Many young people can’t afford to work for free, let alone stump up thousands of dollars for the privilege of doing so."
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