Latest news : Business backs Clegg intern deal

More than 100 firms have backed a government scheme which will improve social mobility and create fairer work experience opportunities. 12/01/2012

The scheme will see more than 100 companies, backed by deputy prime minister Nick Clegg, open up top careers for students from poorer backgrounds.

Barclays, Tesco, BP and ten top law practices are committing to advertising work experience openly rather than handing them out through contacts, and will pay interns wages and expenses. Look for opportunities in our work experience listings.  

‘If you feel you can't even get your foot in the door to take up a work experience place at a local company, or take up an internship, if you feel you can't even take that first step, then what chance do you feel you've got to actually work at that company later?’ said Nick Clegg.

Other companies that have signed up to the scheme include Coca Cola, Nestle, Shell, Marks & Spencer, HSBC and Santander.

Nick Clegg said he would be writing to a further 50 companies asking them to join the scheme. The companies already involved turn over around £500billion and employ over two million people in Britain.

They have all agreed to advertise work experience placements in schools and over the internet as opposed to informal contacts.

‘It's not a small matter. It's quite a big deal to encourage these companies. I'm delighted that 100 really big companies employing over two million people have now agreed with my ideas on this. They are going to open their doors and make it much more based on what you know, rather who you know, to get that first foot on the first rung of the jobs ladder,’ added the deputy prime minister.

The news was welcomed by campaigners for fair access to internships, but they said that still not enough was being done to ensure the opportunities on offer are really available to everyone.

‘Employers don't need an opt-in scheme to have a legal duty to pay their interns. A few pounds a day in expenses is not enough for anyone to live on without huge support from the bank of mum and dad. If Nick Clegg is truly committed to social mobility he will make sure that Revenue and Customs enforces the minimum wage for interns,’ said Ben Lyons, co-director of Intern Aware.