Taking an ethical stand against work placement exploitation

London College of Communication is determined to fight for fairer treatment of students working in industry placements.

Of all companies which currently offer internship programmes ‘almost half report offering unpaid placements’, according to educational charity The Sutton Trust.

Is this hindering diversity within industry by excluding entire classes of people, particularly within the creative world? London College of Communication is looking to lead by example by offering a paid placement scheme that benefits both its students and the creative sector.

UCAS reports show that in 2019, 34% of home students at the University of the Arts London – of which LCC is part – fall into the lower groupings on the socio-economic spectrum, referring to those whose families may not have the financial capability to support them or any connections with the creative industries served by UAL.

Due to London having the highest private sector rents in the UK, many working-class students struggle to fund their basic living costs, and accepting full-time unpaid placement opportunities is almost impossible.

Students from lower socio-economic backgrounds are also more likely to work long hours in part-time jobs alongside their university degree; another factor which makes unwaged internships harder for them to contemplate.

Research by the Sutton Trust shows that 40% of students who did not complete a placement said it was because they could not afford it, or were unable to move to a city to take up the opportunity, highlighting the financial struggle faced by many from lower-income backgrounds.

The placement scheme at LCC aims to help students in securing paid internship opportunities, on either a long or short-term basis, during their university degree.

The programme strives for inclusivity by only offering placements which are paid to allow students from all socio-economic backgrounds to take advantage of the opportunities available. Sarah Sheikh, Placements Manager at LCC, said no-one should be compelled to work for nothing as a trade-off for gaining industry experience.

She added: “This is not just about students – anybody and everybody should get paid for their work because how are people supposed to live? How are you going to eat?”

Morgan Allan, a BA Graphic Branding and Identity student at LCC, landed a position as a designer at the quarterly football magazine Mundial as part of the placement year on the Diploma in Professional Studies (DPS) currently offered by the college.

What are the benefits of a DPS year?
“I would highly recommend DPS. I have learnt more in the three or four months I’ve been working in the industry than I had in the previous two years of uni. I have learnt a lot, working how the industry works and seeing it from the inside has really given me an advantage when it comes to getting a job on the other side.”

How have Mundial responded to your design role?
Mundial have responded really positively, they offered me part-time and then full-time work. I had a review last week, and they basically said that I’m doing really well, that they are very impressed with the fact that I can fit in well, and that I can do the stuff that I can do at the age of 20.

How did you get your foot in the door?
“I went to one of their launch events back in February, introduced myself and from that got work experience. They liked me from the work experience so then they asked me to work part-time and then this year in summer, I was working full time and kept on from there. Not really the most traditional route.”

How have you benefitted from the DPS scheme?
“I have benefitted immeasurably from the DPS scheme, as in my practice as a designer has improved dramatically – and not just the technical skills. Before I started at Mundial I had a basic understanding of InDesign, now I’m pretty much fluent. But also, with the way I think about design and being in a real world setting has informed my practice in a positive way. I do photography and styling, part of my job is also working with logistics and stuff.”

What support have you received from LCC while on your placement? “I’ve been really impressed with the support that I’ve got. Initially I was apprehensive because I thought the uni would want me to be doing lots of different stuff, but my tutor Chris, he’s proper sound, and he says that as long as I keep growing as a designer and as a creative, improving personal equity… Even if I didn’t have Mundial, I receive constant e-mails from [DPS co-ordinator] Sarah Temple saying ‘there’s this internship or this internship, or this competition you can enter’.”

Would you have been able to take a placement that was unpaid?
“No, I would not have been able to take an unpaid placement opportunity, I’m very lucky that even though Mundial is a small company they value me as a creative and so they pay me properly. I don’t have the money to be able to work full time unpaid. I’d have to work in a pub which would be horrible.”

Main image courtesy of Alex Mertekis at Mundial.