Internship programmes have attracted a lot of criticism from the CIPD, the TUC and even the Prime Minister himself. Critics portray them as exploiting of young people but in September 2010, Chelmsford Borough Council (CBC) launched an Internship programme with a real difference.

Instead of viewing Interns as a source of cheap labour, the programme provides real rewards for interns who add value to the authority. In 2010, CBC’s Workforce Development Plans identified that the authority had an aging workforce. 34 percent of employees were over 50 and just 14 percent were in the 16-24 profile. This put the authority in a position where their long-term business strategies could be compromised by a shortage of talent. It also hampered the transfer of knowledge between the generations.

At that time, the Higher Education Policy Institute reported a national rise in unemployment among graduates aged 24 and under. It was also acknowledged that school leavers were facing fewer vacancies and higher competition than their peers. CBC recognised this as an opportunity to tap into a highly skilled and motivated market of post 17 year school leavers and graduates. The challenge was to develop a programme that would meet their business needs while offering real benefit to young people in the local community.

A significant amount of research was done into existing models of Internship, nationally and internationally, from the employer and Intern perspective. While the principle of Internships was a good one, they seemed heavily weighted in favour of the employer and the benefit to the young people themselves was sometimes dubious. CBC wanted a mutually beneficial programme that would attract only the very best candidates so work began on designing a programme of their own.

CBC’s Internship programme was designed to provide a low-risk recruitment activity. It was an opportunity to place and develop potential hires without making a long-term commitment. During their placement, the authority observes how the Intern fits with the culture of the organisation and builds a profile of their strengths and areas of development. This enables them to identify the very best of the suitable candidates for future permanent employment. It also gives them access to a highly skilled and motivated workforce to advance seasonal and short-term projects.

One manager said “Having an Intern helped progress a major project and their input proved to be invaluable. They met all objectives, with a high level of accuracy, and all work they undertook was of a consistently high quality.”

CBC Interns take on responsibility for three real working projects, in different areas of the authority, over a one year period. This provides them with experience of a real work environment alongside experts in that field. During their placements they are supported to work on a portfolio of evidence with real life examples of the projects they have worked on and testimonials from their managers and peers.

During their placement an Intern will work a 30 hour week and are paid more than twice the minimum wage called for by the CIPD, plus they get the same benefits as the regular employees. They also have access to a comprehensive, tailored development plan and access to the development opportunities offered to regular employees. Coaching is offered on a regular basis by their Placement Coordinator and their line-managers to make sure the placement is a success.

In their final placement, Interns are encouraged to consider their future. They are encouraged to apply for any vacancies that become available and there is no doubt that their experience gives them a real edge over the competition. Those who are unsuccessful have the benefit of coaching, interview skills, CV writing classes and a network of valuable business contacts.

The Internship programme has proved to be a major success for the authority and the Interns themselves. One Intern from the first cohort said “The Internship program provided by Chelmsford Borough Council is a great way to establish your career path. It offers the chance to see how Local Government works, the different services it provides and enjoy placements through a whole range of services. I have enjoyed earning a wage while gaining constructive experience which will undoubtedly be attractive to future employers. I can now see myself working for a Local Government organisation in years to come.”

An advanced Internship is now planned based on the success of the project. Advanced Internships will be for two years and they will be funded to complete a professional qualification. These placements will work at a higher level than the Interns with more responsibility; on par with the National Graduate Development Programme. The difference is that this programme is tailored to the authority’s specific needs and is financially more viable. By developing an Internship programme that rewards young people for the valuable part they play in helping meet the authority’s business plan, CBC have attracted candidates of the highest possible calibre. These young people have worked independently and added real value to the organisation.

Background information
Resident population 157,053
Population 16 – 24 age profile 19,494 (26 percent are students)

Characteristics of applicants for 2011/12
The 2011/12 cohort attracted 122 applicants
54 male and 68 female
87 applicants were from the local Chelmsford area
Only 22 percent of all applicants had less than 5 GCSEs at grades A-C

Highest level of qualification of applicants
Seven Masters level
47 Degree level
20 at least 3 A levels
21 at least 5 GCSEs A-C