Survey reveals North West companies more willing to pay interns

A new survey from YouGov, commissioned by ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) and Intern Aware, has revealed that North West businesses are more likely to pay interns at least the minimum wage than anywhere else in the UK. 73% of respondents said their company paid either the minimum wage or the living wage.

39% said they paid the living wage - £7.85 per hour. A further 34% of respondents said their company paid their interns at least the minimum wage.

Worryingly the survey revealed that businesses in the North West were less likely to employ an intern than most other regions in the UK – 71% have never employed an intern. This was the third highest in the UK, only Wales and the East Midlands scored worse for availability of internships.

Andrew Leck, ACCA UK, said: “Internships are a vital route for young people to gain work experience after their education, so it is very encouraging to see that the vast majority of internships are paid. Interns should not be treated as unpaid labour, they are gaining value work experience and in many cases are graduates.

“Many young people struggle when they first enter the job market, and a lack of experience often counts against them. The survey makes for worrying reading for those struggling to get on the career ladder. A lack of opportunities for those needing experience could see talented individuals leaving the region in search of further opportunities.”

The survey questioned 1049 senior business men and women across the UK, 106 of those were from the North West.