Education majors aren't expecting to land a paid internship
Unpaid internships are the norm for students in Ohio University’s Patton College of Education.
It’s highly uncommon for student teachers to be paid, John Henning, the associate dean for academic engagement and outreach, said. He added there are few resources available for schools to pay student teachers.
However, students who are majoring in restaurant and hotel hospitality, retail merchandising, or recreation and sport pedagogy within the Human and Consumer Science Department at the Patton College have more opportunities to work paid internships.
Henning said internships are required by the college because it is profession-based, and most majors have to acquire skills only available through working in the specific profession.
Ann Paulins, the senior associate dean for research and graduate studies, said she would only advocate for a student to take an unpaid internship if it provides quality experience or opportunities down the line.
“If the payoffs of an unpaid internship site present a strong foundation from which a career can be built, then that is a rational choice,” she said. “Being paid is a nice, and often necessary, characteristic of an internship — some students forgo other part-time work to focus on internship work and will have greater opportunity costs for the internship.”
It is important for students to consider the internship a long interview and an opportunity to learn and network, she added.
"So I think if it is worth not having the money, the experience will be worth it,” Henning said. “I think under the right circumstances unpaid internships are ethical. I think they can be unethical but I don’t even know what we would do in teacher education if we had paid internships.”
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