Internships: the Good, the Bad & the Ugly

An internship can be the launchpad for your dream career—or a frustrating detour filled with unpaid coffee runs. In Australia, internships are increasingly common in competitive fields like media, law, marketing, and design. But before you dive into a placement, it’s important to understand the realities: the benefits, the pitfalls, and what your rights are as an intern.

What Is an Internship?

In Australia, an internship is a short-term placement where a student or recent graduate gains practical experience in their field of interest. Placements can range from a few weeks to a year, depending on the arrangement.

The goal is to bridge the gap between study and employment—giving you real-world insights into how your industry operates and what your day-to-day might look like post-graduation.

Internships are common across industries like marketing, journalism, business, IT, and design. They’re also increasingly used by career changers looking to test the waters before committing to a new professional path.

Do Interns Get Paid in Australia?

Not always. In fact, most internships are unpaid—but that doesn’t necessarily make them illegal. Whether or not you should be paid depends on the structure of the internship and the expectations placed on you.

According to Fair Work Australia, if an internship meets the definition of a ‘vocational placement’ that is a requirement of your course, it may be lawfully unpaid. However, if the intern is doing productive work that would otherwise be done by a paid employee, they may be entitled to minimum wage and other employee rights.

Key legal factors include:

• Whether there is an employment relationship
• If the placement is part of an accredited course (i.e., a vocational placement)

Always check your rights before agreeing to an unpaid internship via Fair Work’s unpaid work guide.

The Good: When Internships Work

🎓 Real-World Experience

The best internships offer hands-on experience where you apply your academic learning to meaningful tasks. They give you a sense of what a typical workday looks like in your chosen field and help you decide what type of roles you’re drawn to.

They’re also great for career changers. For example, Lorna Hendry transitioned from graphic design to writing in her 40s. After enrolling in a writing course, she landed a four-week internship with a publisher—and went on to write 14 books and become an award-nominated author.

🚪 Foot in the Door

Internships can lead directly to paid employment. In fact, the Unpaid Work Experience in Australia Report (2016) found that 27% of unpaid interns were offered a job by their host organisation after completing their placement.

Joshua Robb interned for four weeks at an accounting firm. He was later hired, and by the time he graduated, he was a senior liquidator. He now works as an Associate Director at a national accounting practice.

The Bad: When Internships Fall Short

💸 Financial Strain

Unpaid internships can be costly—especially if you need to commute long distances, take time off paid work, or fund living expenses while gaining experience.

Journalism student Sydney Pead shared her experience of commuting from Sydney to Wollongong while surviving on Youth Allowance. “Once my rent and transport were paid, there wasn’t much left for food,” she told the ABC. “I was hundreds of dollars out of pocket for the experience.”

According to the same federal report, one in four interns relied on financial support from family or friends to complete their placement.

The Ugly: When Internships Become Exploitative

🧹 Treated Like a Personal Assistant

In poorly managed internships, you might find yourself doing little more than fetching coffee, running errands, or cleaning up the kitchen. Not only is this demotivating—it doesn’t contribute to your professional development.

Designer Tim Van Martin wrote about this kind of exploitation in his Medium article, saying, “I’ve seen interns come in and literally be sent on coffee runs or to sort image folders. Can they put any of that on their resume?”

The takeaway? If you’re doing menial tasks for weeks on end with little learning, it may be time to speak up—or walk away.

Before accepting a placement, ask past interns about their experience, review the company’s internship guidelines, and ensure your learning goals are clear. Need more guidance? Read The Truth About Internships.

How to Make the Most of Your Internship

• Set clear goals before you start—what do you want to learn?
• Keep a log of tasks and feedback to track your development
• Ask for feedback regularly and reflect on areas of improvement
• Network with colleagues and ask about their career paths
• If the internship is unpaid, limit it to a timeframe you can realistically sustain

And remember—if you’re being asked to perform real work for extended periods with no pay, and it’s not part of your studies, it’s worth checking if the arrangement is lawful via Fair Work Australia.

Want Experience Without Being Exploited?

Some vocational courses in Australia offer built-in placements as part of the qualification. These are usually covered under vocational placement laws and provide genuine skill-building opportunities under formal supervision.

Explore nationally recognised courses in fields like marketing, health care, IT, and community services—many include practical experience to help you graduate job-ready.