Summer internships – free or you can earn money on them

Some pupils and students associate holidays with relaxation. The second – with the opportunity to earn. There is also a third group: they work in the summer, but they don’t get paid anyway. These are some apprentices.

Those who do not have an idea for a vacation can take advantage of the internship. It’s always a new experience. Sometimes he even has to do that. Upper secondary schools (mainly basic vocational schools and technical schools) and universities have compulsory internships in their regulations.

A young person, whether in a technical high school, vocational or college, is already professionally oriented. And it is precisely in this direction that he is to get apprenticeship before taking up “real” employment. So if a student goes to a gastronomic school, she will have an internship in a restaurant or bar, or possibly in a nutrition institute. Those who study construction can find an internship in a design office, construction company or office, e.g. in the General Directorate for National Roads and Motorways. The future hairdresser will go to a hairdressing salon for internships, and a political science student – to the city hall.

Summer rollover

Internships (and internships are the same) for pupils, students and graduates are carried out throughout the year, although it is known that the most of them occur during the summer holidays. Both sides benefit from the internships. A young man, because he has the first contact with work from the inside. He gets to know what he has only learned about so far. An entrepreneur who hired an apprentice, on the other hand, gains an additional person, whose help in the company is especially useful during the holiday season.

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The greatest demand is for pupils and students who complete half of their education in a given school. This is because in the first or second year of studies (or in the first or second year of upper secondary school) young people have the most classes, but do not have professional knowledge yet. However, the closer to the end of school, the more pupils and students look for permanent or at least temporary work. Entrepreneurs most willingly accept people who have had their last year of study left for internships. If they prove successful and want to, they will get employment here after graduation.

Bad memories

Years ago, young people were reluctant to participate in internships. Secondary and vocational schools organized internships on an almost massive scale, usually monthly or 2-week ones. Colleges did the same. Apprentices did not get a penny for them. The internship supervisor, i.e. a person from the company organizing them, did exist, but only in theory. In companies, apprentices felt like a fifth wheel on a cart or like errand boys. They didn’t really think about learning something new, but that the classes and work in the company would end as soon as possible, and the internship journal should be full as soon as possible.

Now has changed. This is because more and more companies – although not all – offer paid internships. The rates for knockdowns do not belong, but the first money earned by yourself is always a joy. The owners and presidents of companies organizing internships are aware that their future employees may be among the interns. And nowadays you have to take care of the staff. It happens, and it is not uncommon now, that a pupil or a student look for internships on their own. And they also agree the amount of remuneration with the company offering them. When schools and universities arrange internships, these too are more and more often paid for young people.

How much will the student earn from the internship

The rates can be hourly or for the whole internship. We give the net amounts, i.e. on hand. Students of basic vocational schools, technicians (and sometimes high schools, because selected general secondary schools also carry out internships) in a mechanical workshop, carpentry shop, in production or in a restaurant, can earn, for example, 6-7 zlotys per hour. It is similar in stores. When the internships are monthly, they will receive about 1,000 zlotys. Sometimes twice as many.

This is how much a student will earn

Students will usually get more. For example: those who will soon become IT specialists receive PLN 15-25 per hour in an IT company. Monthly, depending on the number of hours of practice, they can earn over PLN 2,000. Students of pedagogy will earn some extra money in private kindergartens or children’s clubs. They will get an average of PLN 10 per hour or PLN 1700 per month. Telecommunications students who find an internship in the customer service office of a company providing telecommunications services may have an hourly rate of PLN 12 or a monthly rate of PLN 1,800. A student of tourism and hotel management in a travel agency will receive from 8 to 14 zlotys per hour or 1600 zlotys for a month’s internship. Whoever studies pedagogy, and has chosen the specialization of children’s play animator, has a chance to earn an average of PLN 15 per hour in practice, and if it succeeds, it can even exceed PLN 2,000 per month, depending on the number of hours assigned to him. Design and construction companies also pay construction students about PLN 15 per hour or almost PLN 2,000 per month.

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Interns can count on money not only. Selected companies, especially well-known nationwide ones, offer bonuses, such as free gym tickets or fitness clubs for apprentices. They also invite apprentices to integration events for employees.