Could more internships benefit businesses?

A new code of practice has been launched by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) to help businesses manage internships.

The new guidelines include suggestions on suitable levels of expenses, while also advising that companies go through full and thorough recruitment processes when hiring such workers, just as they would for permanent staff.

Commenting on the launch, Tom Richmond, skills advisor at CIPD, said that a survey by the group had revealed 72 per cent of companies think that the biggest problem with recruiting young people is their lack of experience, rather than not having enough qualifications.

He added that an increased number of internships would not only help companies, but also jobseekers as they would get some valuable workplace experience which they could carry on in their career search.

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“We looked to internships as a really useful and valuable way of getting people into the workplace, so while they are perhaps looking for other work they can pick up some very important things to put onto their CVs,” Mr Richmond stated.