what the hell d u guys think about this unpaid internship from Bell?

[Syne]

With that being said if you do apply and accepted to this program, as previous poster has stated, do not sucked into it for a long time to a point where you do not realize there is a world outside Bell, do it temporarily but stay active and strive towards obtaining paid employment as paid employment tends to be valued higher than unpaid volunteer/intern positions.

Is this really even a concern, that people will just work their entire career at the unpaid internship and eventually retire?

Will they also eat make-believe food, and sleep in a make-believe bed in their make-believe houses?

[spike1128]

Is this really even a concern, that people will just work their entire career at the unpaid internship and eventually retire?

Will they also eat make-believe food, and sleep in a make-believe bed in their make-believe houses?

No, people will work the first year or so in an unpaid internship. Then while they work for free in reality, they will continue to leech off parents. Parents will pay rent for them, food for them, fancy car payments of them, etc etc. There is no need for any make-believe anything.

So when there are some luck, they will move into a paid position. The only difference is they spend more of their money on things they want, while continuing to be a leech at home.

[Syne]

No, people will work the first year or so in an unpaid internship. Then while they work for free in reality, they will continue to leech off parents. Parents will pay rent for them, food for them, fancy car payments of them, etc etc. There is no need for any make-believe anything.

So when there are some luck, they will move into a paid position. The only difference is they spend more of their money on things they want, while continuing to be a leech at home.

I see, so the moral of the story is that internship opportunities at Bell are earmarked for those who come from rich families.

Good to see Bell doing their part to promote inequality among university graduates, by only offering these opportunities to those whose parents have lots of money. Heaven forbid someone who actually needs to earn a living gets internship experience.

[C_C]

I see, so the moral of the story is that internship opportunities at Bell are earmarked for those who come from rich families.

Good to see Bell doing their part to promote inequality among university graduates, by only offering these opportunities to those whose parents have lots of money. Heaven forbid someone who actually needs to earn a living gets internship experience.

This is an argument I read about a lot concerning unpaid internships from corporations, I love when people go 'you're so lazy, at least do an internship!' 'you don't have any experience and you have to get some if you want to get anywhere' but at the same time call you a 'sucker' for doing them. You can't win sometimes.

[tunglete]

I applied and went through the interview process. This is completely a joke. 90% of the nice looking building have been run by unpaid interns. You will be introduced to deal with real Bell projects, realtime dead lines which directly benefit to Bell. The PMP makes the program sound like a free training (institute) + career opportunity. But wait:
1/ It's not a training/education since you will spend most of your time with just peers like you. The pmp only takes top candidates who can work right away for them in 3 months even more if you like . This explains why they made so well structured interview.
2/ It's not a career opportunity. They have absolutely no intend to hire you after 3 months "of well trained", the term AMP (Advanced of PMP) exists to be a bait. They would love u to extend your unpaid internship. What is the purpose of training?
3/ There's not a clear job description in any possition, any given info are just beutiful pics + fancy words from past interns !??!. Interns will be provided with hi end equipments which are never yours.
From my friends experience with pmp, they are exploiting students and grads with boring jobs where they must hire ppl to complete. We pay gas, food, time to work for free. Don't, like some said that damages the economy. Let's other ppl get paid.

[eager beaver]

Unpaid interships are just a way to expoit desperate people in a poor economy.

[Kappa21]

I've been on both sides of this debate on internships...


it comes down to 2 things:

1) You gotta do it...
Law students do articling and act like bitches in a law firm....but still make money (70K in top firms I believe).

Medical students do residency and have these crazy works hours and literally live in the hospital....sleep there as well... you would see someone in medical robes sleeping at 4am for a bit...just to be ready for 7am meeting.......coffee anyone...but they get paid as well...

Now for the average person, you dont have much options like med/law students so you choose an intership. They dont wanna pay you, but they assume that experience is much more important than anything else, since this can notch you up interviews later down the road and its the career path that you wanted, so both things makes sense..... your service + their experience = perfect punch.

Its internship or having to fight with all your fellow classmates at the door, asking why they should hire you...when you have no experience....for that lovely entry level job.

2) Internships for the wealthy elites!!!!!

I came to the point that only rich kids get the opportunity to do internships.
I know of a few families who have kids who graduated school and are considered wealthy. They dont mind having to pay for their kids internship bills....
and when i mean bills, this is more than just gas, food, ride.........
In my case, it was about a family whos daughter got an internship in a NY fashion company. Unpaid 4-6 month internship. The parents paid the flight to NYC, got her a furnished appartment (or room), money for food/transport/fun and she ended up having a good time plus learning a lot.

That's fantastic.
Now how about the other hundreds of millions of people who dont have that luxury?
Well....like how college was for the rich/white anglo-saxxon elites..... internships at good places is becoming the same thing.


The bottom line:

Companies love free stuff.
They would spend millions on useless items, but to pay an intern a few coins so that he/she can go back and forth and put food in their stomach is not in the picture?

The most disgusting story of internship ******** was when a friend of mine interned at a place. Wasnt getting paid and always had to look his best. One of his PAID coworkers came and asked for some donation... it was like 50/50 draws where tickets were like 50 dollars (not sure)....
How are u going to ask an intern for charity if you dont want to give him anything?

Bell loves internships because its free services.....
If you dont do it, someone else will do it......

Those Indian/Pakistani/Bangladeshi immigrants who come to Canada with a high degree in PhD/Masters would love to connect into the workforce that way.....regardless if they worked 10 years back home and held a high management position.

[Acidman247]

So I've been through each page of this thread, and have taken in all the good/bad advice from everyone.

I am a 2nd-year student, and I want to apply for this internship for this summer. I realize it's unpaid, and yes, it's a huge scam, and yes, it'll be slave work...But at the end of the day, I feel like I will have something to put on my resume and discuss during interviews for a REAL internship NEXT summer, e.g. something in finance. That's because I've worked only at three different call centers (telemarketer, surveyor, solicitations) which were all paid.

I'm enrolled in a strong business program with good grades, so my goal is basically to rack up some experience for next summer, and hopefully stay with that same company upon graduation.

I realize that you guys are mostly recent grads, and hence are completely turned off by this insult of a position.... But given that I am a 2nd-year student (and have worked 3 paid jobs as a cold caller, in which the only "relevent" experience that I technically have is sales), do you think the PMP is worth it?

Any input would be appreciated, especially looking at my circumstances and how my situation may differ from yours. I'm just desperate to have something RELAVENT this summer, i.e. not end up in the same damn call center. I feel like it's too late to apply to unpaid internships at better places like banks, or too competitive to apply to paid internships this early. Thanks guys!

[aayahuascaa]

So I've been through each page of this thread, and have taken in all the good/bad advice from everyone.

I am a 2nd-year student, and I want to apply for this internship for this summer. I realize it's unpaid, and yes, it's a huge scam, and yes, it'll be slave work...But at the end of the day, I feel like I will have something to put on my resume and discuss during interviews for a REAL internship NEXT summer, e.g. something in finance. That's because I've worked only at three different call centers (telemarketer, surveyor, solicitations) which were all paid.

I'm enrolled in a strong business program with good grades, so my goal is basically to rack up some experience for next summer, and hopefully stay with that same company upon graduation.

I realize that you guys are mostly recent grads, and hence are completely turned off by this insult of a position.... But given that I am a 2nd-year student (and have worked 3 paid jobs as a cold caller, in which the only "relevent" experience that I technically have is sales), do you think the PMP is worth it?

Any input would be appreciated, especially looking at my circumstances and how my situation may differ from yours. I'm just desperate to have something RELAVENT this summer, i.e. not end up in the same damn call center. I feel like it's too late to apply to unpaid internships at better places like banks, or too competitive to apply to paid internships this early. Thanks guys!

First of all call center is not so bad, because such experience is also useful for customer service positions. I recently had an interview with TD bank, and it was a relevant position - I have my CSC so they were looking for a Mutual Funds Advisor but they did want call center experience. Also except internships, what is useful is to finish some tests rights after you graduate and not trying to do them a year after like me, while also having to work full time. I was also in a business program and the certificates that would really help you to look for a job after graduation are CFA/ CMA level 1, CSC. For CMA you need certain courses so if you want to do that, make sure you take them in university. I didn't and now it will take me 7 months to finish them plus they are not free.

Also try to apply for as many internships as possible, you can also apply for PMP but have it as your last resort. There are many more reputable companies who do offer internships and they would be much more useful because they would actually teach you something and the company's name would be good on your resume. It might not be too late to apply - look on your university's site, TalentEgg, just search online.

[hjkimbrian]

boy, i'm glad i discovered this thread! im glad RFDers are looking each other's back.

[light2]

Didn't read any of the pages other than the OP.

Had a friend that graudated same time as me (2010). He could not get a job with his communications major and ended up working as an intern at bell for free for 4-6months.

After that, he got a job as a business analyst at a great company from that experience.

So take that for what its worth, if you can't find a job with great working experience, these are really great places to start.

[Lostwords]

I briefly browse through the pages. I once had to do a 4 months un-paid co-op. It was a difficult decision because, at the time, I was living on resident and borrowing from OSAP. It was one of the programs that you have to do your co-op or you don't graduate. Although I did not get a job there but I've learned so much from this unpaid co-op that it set me above other candidates when I applied for my first real job. I think the important part about the unpaid internship or co-op is to make sure you get the most out of it. The place I did my co-op was a small hospital and they were under staffs. My supervisor at the time understand the sacrifies I made to take this unpaid co-op and she trained me on everything and allow to me work on every computer related project in the hospital. I was a desktop/network/server support.

[gcg]

I just accepted the offer for the GIS position... and no, I do not live with my parents, and I am giving up my EI just for this. I will update you guys in a few months on this experience.

[hjkimbrian]

I just accepted the offer for the GIS position... and no, I do not live with my parents, and I am giving up my EI just for this. I will update you guys in a few months on this experience.

It will be nice to hear about the more recent first hand experience. Keep us updated!

[snorlaxsnores]

I just accepted the offer for the GIS position... and no, I do not live with my parents, and I am giving up my EI just for this. I will update you guys in a few months on this experience.

Hey that's awesome, I studied a bit of GIS in my undergrad

How do you find working with Bell so far? I have an interview, for the Analytics Department. It seems like a lot of people are bashing this PMP program, but honestly I don't know how else to get my foot in the door into the industry as I don't have any relevent experience. Any tips on the interview, and how do you enjoy it so far?