There are still major differences in the internship allowances that students receive. MBO graduates are significantly disadvantaged, according to new research commissioned by the Ministry of Education. Usually internship companies do not pay any compensation for them at all. Outgoing minister Robbert Dijkgraaf finds this inexplicable: “This really needs to change.”
Dachser, a logistics company in Waddinxveen, is a positive exception. Whether an intern is in higher vocational or intermediate vocational education, the compensation is the same for every intern. “We believe that internships are equally valuable. Whether someone is an MBO or HBO graduate, everyone is equally important,” says Ivonne Oranje, HR manager at Dachser. “We’ve been doing it this way for at least 13 years.”
MBO students receive the least
How Dachser deals with its interns is absolutely not self-evident. Two new studies, commissioned by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, show that the differences in internship compensation are still large. MBO students still fare the worst.
Despite several appeals, receiving compensation is still far from a certainty everywhere. In higher professional education, approximately 75 percent of students receive an internship allowance, in academic education 65 percent of students receive compensation. In MBO, only 41 percent of students receive compensation.
If there is compensation, MBO students receive an average of between 212 and 500 euros per month. HBO and WO students, on the other hand, receive between 225 and 550 euros per month. Students who follow a scientific course often receive an amount between 400 and 550 euros.
Appropriate compensation
Minister Dijkgraaf cannot oblige companies to provide appropriate compensation, but does call on employers to make clear agreements about this in collective labor agreements. Currently, only 10 percent of collective labor agreements have agreed on internship allowances.
Another study, by ResearchNed, shows that in some sectors interns almost never receive an internship allowance, for example in education. The majority (77 percent) do not receive an internship allowance here. This study concerns HBO students.
Can’t explain
That cannot be explained, says Minister Dijkgraaf. “Especially at a time with major staff shortages and where we are doing everything we can to combat the teacher shortage, teaching trainees should receive appropriate compensation. I believe that primary and secondary education as an employer should really take a step forward in this regard.”
The minister therefore wants to sit down with partners in education to make agreements about a national internship compensation scheme.
Tags: MBO students receive internship allowance minister finds inexplicable RTL News
