Young people in traineeships

Pay Rise Campaign - Briefing paper

Young people in traineeships

Traineeships are supposed to ease the path from education to work, and should have a strong training or learning element. In reality, they are often used to supply cheap, or even unpaid, labour. Some 61% of university graduates across Europe have undertaken at least one traineeship. Some do provide useful training, and some are combined with study. However, only 20% pay enough to cover basic living costs, sinking to 12% in Spain, and only 27% lead to an offer of employment. Traineeships too often amount to an unpaid probationary period which ends in nothing because the trainee is replaced with another trainee.

Background on traineeships

A specific form of precarious work for young people is the misuse of traineeships – either because they are used as cheap labour (as a substitute for a worker on a regular contract) or not paid.  

 A European Commission study in 2013, based on interviews with 12,921 young people, found that 46% had undertaken at least one traineeship, as had 61% of graduates.

They can be short, with training, but they often amount to an unpaid, or badly paid trial period. The number of young people taking a traineeship after completing their studies varies between countries, but comprised a majority in Spain, Slovenia and Croatia.

Only 27% move into a job, while 23% are offered another traineeship. Only 40% are paid, and of those only 46% are paid enough to cover basic living costs. In Spain, only 29% among the 42% who received payment said it was enough to live on. In 10 EU countries, trainees said their pay did not cover their living expenses: Belgium, Germany, Greece, Spain, France, Luxembourg, Hungary, the Netherlands, Poland and Croatia. 

Percentage of those interviewed in 2013 who had undertaken a traineeship

 

At least one traineeship

At least one after completing studies

EU27

46

33

Belgium

64

23

Bulgaria

36

49

Czech Republic

9

25

Denmark

38

15

Germany

74

38

Estonia

52

11

Ireland

20

53

Greece

28

42

Spain

35

67

France

73

19

Italy

31

42

Cyprus

79

17

Latvia

15

21

Lithuania

8

46

Luxembourg

65

21

Hungary

45

22

Malta

12

45

Netherlands

79

12

Austria

53

39

Poland

24

36

Portugal

38

56

Romania

10

27

Slovenia

29

68

Slovakia

8

38

Finland

66

17

Sweden

30

27

United Kingdom

56

28

Croatia

22

60

Flash Eurobarometer 378,

https://data.europa.eu/euodp/en/data/dataset/S1091_378

 

Percentage of those interviewed in 2013 who had undertaken a traineeship with compensation

 

Received compensation

Of which, sufficient for basic living costs

EU27

40

46

Belgium

19

38

Bulgaria

42

57

Czech Republic

61

70

Denmark

31

69

Germany

38

39

Estonia

50

62

Ireland

65

75

Greece

57

38

Spain

42

29

France

39

42

Italy

30

53

Cyprus

29

51

Latvia

61

67

Lithuania

67

62

Luxembourg

44

44

Hungary

43

45

Malta

54

67

Netherlands

57

32

Austria

69

64

Poland

70

30

Portugal

36

58

Romania

55

56

Slovenia

81

69

Slovakia

51

64

Finland

46

70

Sweden

46

61

United Kingdom

29

68

Croatia

48

48

Flash Eurobarometer 378,

https://data.europa.eu/euodp/en/data/dataset/S1091_378

Link to video: "Internships can either be fair or free, not both! #OurPayRise": https://youtu.be/srvD6iGSOlE