11 Comments

Why should you have to pay to do an internship?
Louise
2011-04-15 11:52:31

This is exactly what is wrong with the way young creatives are treated. Rather than nurturing young talent, it forces to them pay for the nose, meaning that only the very richest graduates can afford to work in the business. Makes my blood boil.
Lauren
2011-04-15 12:38:01

Bad bad bad form.

It's a massive struggle having interns in the studio- especially if they're still quite early into their education- but it's as necessary for the professional as it is for the intern. It teaches us to be good managers, to properly brief our employees on work and to accommodate multiple personalities and ways of working into the daily studio mix.

It's a massive shame that smaller agencies can't afford to pay their interns- essentially letting the wealthier agencies, who can afford it, off the hook. However, there are some agencies out there taking the education of young talent into their own hands (I'm looking directly at Thoughtful here).

If I wanted to connect with non-profits, I'd rinse that $1250 on taking them for dinner, not spunking my best ideas on a greedy agency.
Gemma Mercy
2011-04-15 13:10:39

Here's a better internship: http://37signals.com/svn/posts/2823-summer-internships-at-37signals
MiteyBig
2011-04-15 16:37:19

As a 2010 graduate I have realised that this is probably not that uncommon and a lot of design studios definitely see this, or something similiar, as the norm. I undertook a 3 month, unpaid internship after leaving uni and although I gained a good job at the end of it, which I'm lucky to have, it was a difficult at the time. Had I had to pay money up front, which this is basically asking for, I would have declined.

I was also interviewed by a large design agency who wanted a graduate to intern for 6 months, for free. I found that quiet shocking actually, as I couldn't imagine how someone could work 5 days a week for free and then work another job to earn enough money to live. It's not really possible. However, I imagine the lack of jobs and the high competition would force someone to accept that.

No one expects graduate teachers to work for free. Why graduate designers?
Matt Lane- Dixon
2011-04-15 21:36:26

it's bad enough being expected to work for free, now you have to pay to get work, ridiculous!
diana_kk
2011-04-18 15:50:43

Hey all -- I think you're missing the big picture here. This includes your housing, food and our studio taking off 2 weeks of work to focus solely on camp. This is a real life education, which unfortunately costs money to do. To be honest, the cost of the 8 participants doesn't even add up to half what it costs to put the whole thing on. Not to mention since we aren't doing client work during that time, we aren't making any money. PS - we do give out 2 scholarships so if you truly cannot afford it and your work and attitude is outstanding, we'll foot the bill for you!
Dawn Hancock
2011-04-18 20:26:18

I do not think the negative comments represent the facts leading to the fee for camp:

It is a 9 day intensive. The campers have everything paid for--good food, workspace, shelter, clean showers, transportation, entertainment, supplies, and any other necessities. The remaining money is put toward the material supplies needed to complete the design work for the non-profit (printing, labor, hosting fees, etc).

Firebelly shuts down our studio for the entirety of Camp. We do not work on client projects, we give one-hundred percent of our focus to aiding the campers in completing their work. No internship I know provides that level of hands-on attention.

Also please note that Firebelly does offer six-month paid internships twice a year, and those internships go far beyond the usual production-artist-who-makes-coffee variety. You can read the details on our website at http://firebellydesign.com/contact/intern

Thanks,
Alex Killough
Web Developer
Firebelly Design
Alex Killough
2011-04-18 23:10:39

Gone are the days when you got paid for an internship.
Cambridge
2011-04-20 08:08:12

Last summer I was awarded the opportunity to attend Camp Firebelly. Camp, for me, was the most intense and rewarding design experience. I'd compared it to a speed-tracked month-long internship crammed into 10 days of perseverance and passion.

As a team we (the campers with help and close guidance of the crew) worked full-force, to provide effective visual solutions for our partner non-profit. We were presented issues to be solved through design. We met with our partner rep, prepped, pitched, and presented our ideas. Then we executed those ideas. We faced real-life designer/partner challenges. All of this by day 6! Where else do you have the opportunity to learn so much, so fast, with others as heavily invested. fresh out of college - and hands on?! Not in a classroom - and certainly not at any of the paid-internships I had.

Overall, the experience and connections made at Camp far out-way the price to participate. I recommend that if you're passionate about using your talents to help change the world, and have even considered applying, then Camp Firebelly is well worth it. Don't let funding prevent you from participating in this once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Marek Szeszycki
2011-04-21 08:16:27

Regardless of what a great opportunity this may be, some people simply can't afford this. How come this is one of the only few professions where graduates are expected to work for free?
Kim
2011-04-26 16:43:59

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