Internships have the option of paying who they choose to intern for them. 

The College Board reported, “When room and board are included, total charges at public four-year institutions rose more rapidly between 2003-04 and 2013-14 than they did during either of the two preceding decades.”

With tuition rates on the rise how can students afford to gain experience in their field if some internships are unpaid. 

Money is a necessity for college and it does not grow on trees. Students are expected to pay tuition, pull out loans and then also pay for books and any other expenses that may come up throughout the semester. 

The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) is an association whose mission is to lead the community of professionals focused on the employment of the college educated by providing access to relevant knowledge, resources, insight, and relationships.

According to NACE, almost 97 percent of employers plan to hire interns and co-ops in 2014. Internships and co-ops most of the time guarantees job security. 

NACE said what makes a successful internship program is exposing interns to all facets of a business. 

A successful internship should also include pay. If an internship does not pay the United States Department of Labor has standards that an employer must meet. 

The Department of Labor six standards must be met in order to establish that an intern qualifies to work unpaid: 

1. The internship, even though it includes actual operation of the facilities of the employer, is similar training which would be given in an educational environment

2.The internship experience is for the benefit of the intern

3.The intern does not displace regular employees, but works under close supervision of existing staff

4.The employer that provides the training derives no immediate advantage from the activities of the intern; and on no occasion its operations may actually be impeded

5.The intern is not necessarily entitled to a job at the conclusion of the internship

6.The employer and the intern understand that the intern is not entitled to wages for the time spent in the internship

Majors such as engineering, computer science, and mathematics earn the most during internships. 

Garner Stewart, a junior industrial and systems engineering major, stated that engineers earn the most because of their value in the marketplace. He has had plenty of internships and this summer he will be paid $21 per hour with Ford. That is the most he has ever been paid. 

NACE put the average intern salary was $16.21 per hour for other majors. The Department of Labor expresses that interns if paid should receive at least minimum wage. 

Stewart said, “Engineering students make the most [during internships] because engineers make the most. Some people work their life to make at least $50,000 a year. With the demand and culture of engineering, I expect to make no less than $70,000 when I graduate and $100,000 by the time I’m 25.”

The demand is high for engineers, computer science, and mathematics students but the supply is low. It is hard to see that at A&T because the school is known for engineering, but within other colleges and universities many are not graduating with these majors. Making them rare, even though Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) are the future not many are being produced. 

Stewart said, “I have seen some of the laziest engineers with no extracurricular activities and low GPAs get jobs just because we learn how to learn and analytical skills apply everywhere we go.” 

Unlike business majors who are being produced by the hour, they are not in high demand so they will not get paid the most. 

The Institute of Education Sciences reported that in the 2009-2010 academic school year 358,000 of the 1,650,000 students that graduated were business majors. 

Ernest McDuffie, Jr., a graduate student, held many internship positions during his undergrad years as a sports science major at A&T.

Two of his internships were paid and they were with DB Consulting Group and Bowie Baysox. Another was with the Washington Redskins, which was unpaid. 

McDuffie, Jr. expressed how the experience working with the Redskins was great and it opened many doors for him. He had bills to pay and had to live on a tight budget but he described how in the end it was worth it. 

McDuffie, Jr. said, “I honestly think the fact that it [the internship] was unpaid helps weed out the candidates that just do it for the money.” 

He believes that an intern should be paid based on how much the internships requires from the intern. 

Some internships have students working regular hours and doing the same amount of work as full-time employees, but they do not get paid. 

Students do have the right to choose. 

McDuffie, Jr. and Stewart both stressed the importance of gaining experience and how it opened doors for them in their individual careers.

Students can network and learn during internships. Some things cannot just be taught in the classroom, so it is better when a student is able to actually apply knowledge in the real world. 

In the end employers, no matter what major, are going to look for students with experience and who can benefit their company. 

If a student lacks experience it will be difficult to find a job.

—Email Taylor  at [email protected] and follow The Register on Twitter @TheATRegister

• Taylor Young, Register Reporter