Aaron Santelises and ethical breakdown

These internships are for academic credit, so I am assuming that not only do they not get paid, but they are paying HECS fees for the experience as well.

I’m curious if there are any cross partisan placements made with disclosure.

An engineering student is interested in telecoms systems but gets an internship with a power electronics developer instead. Engineering gets done. Processes get learned. Potentially there is some cross-pollination of ideas between telecoms and power electronics.

Doesn’t work like that in politics?

Deref said :

Who uses “lawyer” and “ethical” in the same sentence?

Most usually, it’s people who also place the prefix un- somewhere in that sentence.

There are strict industrial laws covering ‘internships’. An intern is there to learn. You are not allowed to use them to make coffee or do photocopying or perform any of the usual functions of the workplace. OTOH, they can do stuff like a project (which is educationally relevant) that would otherwise not be undertaken because there is no-one to do it. The research papers that Parliamentary interns write are in this category.

As for the ANU, someone needs to teach them how to use Google before they send more students into workplaces, especially those where there is political, personal or commercial information around that could be sensitive.

greyswandir said :

That internship subject – if it’s the one I’m thinking of – involves you writing a 6000 word paper on a topic to be worked out with your workplace supervisor. You generally attend their offices maybe once a week to write and research. You don’t do any ‘work’ outside the ambit of your paper. Not sure how that fits with exploitation – I suppose the workplace benefits from the research you’re doing (as long as it’s good research, hahaha) but so do you. I guess it depends on how your placement supervisor treats you – if you’re having to do their filing and fetch coffees that’d be a bit dodgy.

If that is the case, then you’ve answered my questions perfectly. I was under the impression that this type of thing was more like your traditional work experience gig but longer. If it is more about free access to involve somewhat independent research work of benefit to both parties that is a different thing altogether.

That internship subject – if it’s the one I’m thinking of – involves you writing a 6000 word paper on a topic to be worked out with your workplace supervisor. You generally attend their offices maybe once a week to write and research. You don’t do any ‘work’ outside the ambit of your paper. Not sure how that fits with exploitation – I suppose the workplace benefits from the research you’re doing (as long as it’s good research, hahaha) but so do you. I guess it depends on how your placement supervisor treats you – if you’re having to do their filing and fetch coffees that’d be a bit dodgy.

I am not necessarily saying it should change, but I am generally interested to know how it works legally. I recall from high school work experience programs several years in the past (from both ends) that there was always careful language about not exploiting the free labour. That the person was there under the guise of learning and that what they do should reflect that. Working in the same office for six months (not even for a trainee wage) would seem to be something else.

Does the office have to register the free labour that they receive as a donation?

johnboy said :

Just because someone is willing to be exploited does not remove any moral burden from the exploiter.

It’s a nice thought (especially for a uni ethics class), but not reflective of reality. Those who choose to do such an internship are there of their own free will, and can leave any time they like.

Identifying those willing to do what it takes is a good way to find high performing staff. Make no mistake, those who are successful will be well rewarded.

johnboy said :

Just because someone is willing to be exploited does not remove any moral burden from the exploiter.

Agreed.

milkman said :

p1 said :

I always wondered how semester long internships are possibly compatible with minimum wage laws.

Many interns won’t care. Some of these people have a lot of drive and determination to succeed, and working for 4 or 5 months unpaid to open doors is a small price to pay.

And, by all accounts, some MPs have no problem with highly ambitious 20-something women willing to do anything to succeed.