Requirements of some tertiary courses have students join in a particular unpaid apprenticeship work at companies or organizations as a part of their curriculums. This essay will discuss the benefits and drawbacks of this trend.
On the one hand, there are several reasons why participating in temporary work is beneficial. Firstly, joining in companies’ real life might help students gain a lot of practical knowledge. Some Master courses in popular universities incline towards businesslike coursework, then students might need to attend real tasks in companies for developing academic performances in the class. In addition, some students might plan to study a postgraduate course but in a different major from their undergraduate ones. In this case, a period of unpaid work in their favorite work position might be suitable for them. By getting factual experiences for a job unrelated to their undergraduate degree, students might have deep perspectives in making decisions for their future career path. Secondly, becoming a member of an organization or a company could help students create valuable relationships and opportunities, which might broaden their future employment. This is also a chance for students to learn from their colleagues about major knowledge and important skills.
However, there are a number of disadvantages of requiring tertiary students to work at institutions and organizations that people should take into consideration. Firstly, the tasks assigned during these placements may not contribute significantly to students’ skill development. Instead of taking challenging tasks in a real workplace, students may be attached with menial errands or chores. As a result, they could not sharpen their competitive edge in the labor force or enhance their specialized fields of study. Secondly, the lack of financial incentives might lead to disincentive among students, preventing them from full commitment in these unpaid works.
In conclusion, taking an unpaid work before a tertiary course could bring about certain benefits, but its negative consequences should not be overlooked.