Jane_that_works wrote:
Why then, do you target companies advertising work experience placements?
An important reason, beyond the illegality of most WE placements, is that they tend to be exploitative in as much as the company in question has low-skilled work they need done, so they get an unpaid worker in and call it a WE placement - they may see the benefit if offers the successful candidate, but they're not acting out of philanthropy, the motivating factor is the work they need doing that they don't want to pay for.
These placements are also a huge barrier to social inclusion and mobility if they represent the major entry point into the industry.
Jane_that_works wrote:
If I had not been given the opportunity to gain invaluable experience on a practical set on more than one occasion, then I would not be in the paid industry job that I am in today.
Not many people here would criticise someone taking work-experience as a route into the industry. However, the placements involve real work that the company needs doing. Other industries pay their low-skilled and inexperienced workers - the media should as well.
You could have had that experience and been paid for it. If all companies played by the rules, we'd have to take on and nurture unskilled workers - just like other industries do.
Jane_that_works wrote:
More often than not, most graduates are grateful for the opportunity to gain work experience and I commend anyone who has the gumption to work their way into the industry (instead of waiting for someone to knock on their door).
That's all very well if you have the independent means to survive while you knock on doors and take time out to do unpaid work - but that's not very fair on people who don't, and who can't afford to relocate to London, Manchester, Glasgow, or Bristol, and live on nothing while they work unpaid.
A more nurturing entry level that pays would almost certainly see the system become more meritocratic - after all, companies would want to know that they were investing in the right candidate, not just the candidate who can afford it, or the one whose Dad is mates with the MD.
Jane_that_works wrote:
I think that these TV Watercooler members who harrass independent companies should try doing a work experience placement for free to feel the satisfaction from working hard for a change.
Or maybe they know just how real and how hard that work is, and think that people should be paid for their efforts.
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