Could remote internships equalize opportunities?

BARCELONA — Internships in the humanitarian and development sector have traditionally been based out of headquarters offices in development hubs such as New York, Washington, or Geneva. These are expensive places to live, and international students or young professionals unable to relocate often face obstacles in gaining hands-on experience with top development employers. Atinuke Adigun, a final-year student from Nigeria who is currently completing an internship in Washington, told Devex how international students are often disadvantaged during the application process since they may require visa sponsorship. Additionally, students who attend universities located near government institutions and other development organizations can be at an advantage, Adigun said. But the coronavirus pandemic has seen many internship opportunities move online — offering a rare equalizer for applications. Ahva Sadeghi, co-founder and CEO of internship management platform Symba, can personally speak to the benefits of a virtual arrangement. While completing her studies in Arizona, it was difficult to access opportunities in other U.S. cities. But remote internships were “a game changer” and opened doors, she said. “I was able to participate in remote internships year round and also get academic credit towards graduation,” Sadeghi told Devex in an email, adding that this was also a much more viable alternative for a young person interested in sectors that do not typically pay interns. A longer-term shift to remote internships could well benefit aspiring development professionals from diverse backgrounds, as well as employers. Location and cost no longer factors Remote internships remove the geographic and financial barriers that have long excluded candidates. Such positions are much more accessible to many young professionals from Africa — who otherwise miss out on these opportunities — and could contribute to greater diversity and inclusion in the sector, Adigun suggested. “By eliminating the travel factor (which entails high cost of tickets and the often insurmountable obtention of a visa) we become more inclusive.” --— Xavier Orellana, diversity and inclusion officer, International Organization for Migration Employers, meanwhile, could benefit from the opinions and local knowledge of young professionals who are based in the countries where programs are being implemented, she added. Remote internships could help broaden the pool of applicants for internships, suggested Xavier Orellana, diversity and inclusion officer with the International Organization for Migration. The agency’s diversity internship program, which exclusively reserves positions for young professionals from the global south and provides financial support to “remove the structural costs” of participating, will go ahead remotely this year. While still a temporary measure, this could “open up the possibilities even further,” Orellana said. “If there are people who were unsure about traveling to a different country for many reasons (family care, disability or other) these internships provide an ideal opportunity to get a taste of the important and life-saving work of IOM from the safety of home,” he wrote in an email to Devex. Some interns are, understandably, concerned about remote internships being maintained in the long term, Orellana said, since there are fewer opportunities for networking and they miss out on the overall experience of working abroad. But “we also think that by eliminating the travel factor (which entails high cost of tickets and the often insurmountable obtention of a visa) we become more inclusive,” he said. This is particularly true for people in the global south and those who may not be able to afford the costs often associated with becoming an intern in the United Nations, he added. David Bearfield, director of the office of human resources with the United Nations Development Programme, sees “only benefits” in more internships going remote or at least working in parallel with traditional in-person programs where there is a need for these. This arrangement could create a “richness of experience and opportunities” for young people from different regions and contribute to organizations maintaining a truly global presence. Remote positions would also be more inclusive of young professionals with disabilities, who might otherwise face challenges in commuting to the office or relocating to a new place where they do not have a network of support, he noted. Limitations of remote opportunities However, moving internships online might not be enough to ensure these opportunities are equally accessible to all young professionals. Informal referrals and insider connections will still play a role in landing these positions, Adigun noted. With interns working entirely from home, employers will want to know they are hiring someone they can trust, and it will help candidates to have someone who can vouch for them, she said. Most of her classmates who have secured remote internships recently have done so through personal connections as opposed to an open application process. Meanwhile, there is still little evidence of more opportunities being available for her peers in Nigeria, Adigun said. There are also costs associated with undertaking these positions remotely that employers might overlook. IOM’s interns will receive a reduced stipend this year since they will be working from home, but the organization will cover the cost of office supplies and high-speed internet. “We know for a fact that having high-speed internet at home is not common in many countries in the South, and that its price can be even higher than in Europe or North America,” Orellana wrote. “We do not want these obstacles to get in the way and prevent people from joining the organization and acquire experience.” UNDP — which started paying its interns at the beginning of 2020 — is continuing to provide a stipend to ensure interns have the equipment and internet connection they need, Bearfield said, noting that high-quality internet can be disproportionately expensive in some countries. As the agency looks to expand its remote intern opportunities, there might be conversations around reducing the stipend payments — which are based on local living costs — but this could then allow the agency to host more internships, he said. According to Sadeghi, over 60% of Symba’s customers have already been able to scale their internship programs since they have access to a more expansive talent pool and have been able to reduce the costs associated with relocating interns. It is a win-win, she said. “[And it is not just] cutting people’s money; it’s about doing things fairly for people,” Bearfield said. “If a byproduct of that is you increase the amount of opportunities for people to engage with the U.N. — because we know that demand outstrips supply [for internships] — that could be another benefit.”