This is my story on why and how to stand up for myself, as a student seeking an engineering internship with fair pay.
I was approached by two companies, A and B, both state owned entities, near the end of the Spring semester to work in the rural area over the coming summer. The first, A, called me in for an interview and was happy with providing a reasonable relocation fee if I got the offer. I was in the top few to be selected but sadly, since another candidate lived closer, he or she was chosen instead. Still, the refreshing and daunting experience of being interviewed and assessed was again reminded.
Disappointed from trying very hard in preparation for company A's interview, I received a call afterwards from company B. At first, I was too excited and agreed to my interests in working for them. This proved to be a mistake as in the proceeding emails and phone calls, the position was of a work experience nature and would not be paid, and also with no relocation fee except work insurance and PPE. I was naturally in disbelief that a state owned entity would do something like that since it is of a very strong contrast to how I was treated at another state owned entity, Company C, in last year's internship. I thought they were mistaken and subsequently made enquiries to the Association of Professional Engineers, Scientists and Managers, Australia (APESMA), the university's legal services, Fair Work Ombudsman and NSW Work Cover. The solicitor from APESMA also linked me to this useful page on the Fair Work Australia website: http://www.fairwork.gov.au/resources/fact-sheets/employer-obligations/Pages/internships-vocational-placements-and-unpaid-work.aspx#work-experience-internships
Given the research and support from qualified solicitors and myself, I was able to realize my rights and my obligations. In a nutshell, the company must pay me over work I produced that injects productivity into the company. If it is just minor tasks or observatory in nature, then they don't. They don't have to pay either if its a course requirement I believe but in this case, it's not a course requirement since my experience at company C has already qualified for that.
I emailed Company B my situation and concerns with their arrangement and they agreed to keep in touch and see what can be addressed that would improve it. A month worth of negotiations later, Company B agreed to pay me under a fixed contract condition and I was able to sustain myself reasonably well throughout the internship.
Despite this 'roller coaster ride', I learnt a lot from this event and I've made a mental reminder to find out where to locate similar bodies and information when I'm working abroad.
Memoirs from a Mechatronics Engineering and Business Finance undergraduate student, as well as a Robotics fanatic :)
University of Technology, Sydney
