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Access to and Returns from Unpaid Graduate Internships

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  • Holford, Angus J.

    (University of Essex)

Abstract

We use the Destination of Leavers from Higher Education Survey (DLHE) to estimate the socio-economic gradient in access to unpaid internships among English and Welsh graduates six months after completing their first degree, and the return to this internship experience 3 years later in terms of salary, occupation, contract type and career satisfaction. We show a significant salary penalty at 3.5 years after graduation compared with those going straight into paid work or further study, but also that graduates from higher socio-economic status have an advantage in accessing internships while being significantly insulated from their negative effects.

Suggested Citation

  • Holford, Angus J., 2017. "Access to and Returns from Unpaid Graduate Internships," IZA Discussion Papers 10845, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp10845
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    Cited by:

    1. Ken Roberts, 2022. "Integrating Young People into the Workforce: England’s Twenty-First Century Solutions," Societies, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-15, March.
    2. Baert, By Stijn & Neyt, Brecht & Siedler, Thomas & Tobback, Ilse & Verhaest, Dieter, 2021. "Student internships and employment opportunities after graduation: A field experiment," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    3. Auriel M V Fournier & Angus J Holford & Alexander L Bond & Margaret A Leighton, 2019. "Unpaid work and access to science professions," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(6), pages 1-16, June.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    job satisfaction; human capital; internships; higher education;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • J28 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Safety; Job Satisfaction; Related Public Policy
    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials

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