UW–Madison’s Matthew T. Hora, an associate professor of adult and higher education with the Division of Continuing Studies and the School of Education’s Department of Educational Policy Studies, was recently quoted in a Learning Well article examining the debate over unpaid internships.
In the article, Hora, who has conducted extensive research on the topic, addressed ethical questions surrounding unpaid internships. He voiced concerns about what he sees as higher education’s “unbridled embrace” of these positions — which can be a graduation requirement in some professional programs, such as psychology and social work.
“There just aren’t enough positions available and they’re out of reach of the vast majority of students,” he said.
However, Hora expressed caution when it came to outlawing these positions outright.
“While ethically on the right track, we shouldn’t even consider banning them until we figure out how to replace those unpaid positions,” said Hora, who also serves as co-director of UW–Madison’s Center for Research on College-Workforce Transitions (CCWT).
Hora’s remarks add to the ongoing conversation about how best to ensure equitable, high-quality work experiences for college students, particularly those from underserved backgrounds.
Read the full story here.