Post by Teddy Bear on Jun 24, 2015 15:06:09 GMT
Bear in mind while reading this story that the general public can be put in prison for failing to pay for this organisation.
BBC staff broke rules after they 'traded unpaid internships for teenagers with other leading companies who could help their own children'
By Sara Malm for MailOnline
Staff at the BBC have been offering up media internships in exchange for work placements for their own children.
Using a £24-a-year website offering work experience 'swaps', BBC staff have volunteered a number of placements in order to get similar opportunities for family members at other leading companies.
The advertisements have since been removed, but internships with both the BBC's News and its Legal division have been up for grabs through the website.
Unfair: This ad, which has since been removed, on myinternswap.com - a £24-a-year website offering work experience 'swaps' - offers work experience with the BBC in exchange for a placement for their child
Internships at the state broadcaster are much coveted among journalism and media students, and competition is fierce.
Placements can be applied for through the BBC recruitment website, where it is explained to prospective interns that due to the high volume of applicants, only the best succeed.
However, it appears that BBC employees have found a way to work around the system, BuzzFeed News reports.
In advertisements on myinternswap.com, one member of staff apparently offered work experience on BBC News in exchange for a placement for their 17-year-old son.
The ad revealed the teenager to be a pupil at the City of London School for Boys, which has an annual tuition fee of nearly £15,000.
'Elitist': Another now removed ad on the website offers a placement within the BBC's legal division in exchange for work experience for a University College London student
Another is offering a placement in 'Consulting, Law' with the BBC in exchange for an internship in Law, Creative Arts, Media and a number of other fields, for a 21-year-old University College London student.
The ads have since been removed from the website, and a BBC spokesman told BuzzFeed News that the practice 'does not fall within the terms of our policy'.
'The BBC is strongly committed to equal opportunities and making sure our opportunities are open to all,' the spokesperson added.
The website has been criticised by careers website Graduate Fog, which discovered the anomalies, for punishing students without family connections.
Website founder Tanya de Grunwald told MailOnline: 'What about children of those parents who might have nothing to trade, either because they’re unemployed, unable to work or not senior enough to create such placements?,'
'They could up penalised because of their parents’ circumstances, even if they are brighter and more hard-working than the children of those in the sought-after professions. This could put them at a disadvantage right from the very start of their career.'
A representative for myinternswap.com responded to the criticism by telling the newspaper that the website is working against elitism by 'helping democratise the process of securing valuable work experience.'
- BBC staff offered placements in exchange for internships for their children
- Website myinternswap.com helps 'trade work experience placements'
- One staff member tried to find internship in law, arts or media for son, 17
- BBC spokesman said scheme 'doesn't fall within the terms of our policy'
By Sara Malm for MailOnline
Staff at the BBC have been offering up media internships in exchange for work placements for their own children.
Using a £24-a-year website offering work experience 'swaps', BBC staff have volunteered a number of placements in order to get similar opportunities for family members at other leading companies.
The advertisements have since been removed, but internships with both the BBC's News and its Legal division have been up for grabs through the website.
Unfair: This ad, which has since been removed, on myinternswap.com - a £24-a-year website offering work experience 'swaps' - offers work experience with the BBC in exchange for a placement for their child
Internships at the state broadcaster are much coveted among journalism and media students, and competition is fierce.
Placements can be applied for through the BBC recruitment website, where it is explained to prospective interns that due to the high volume of applicants, only the best succeed.
However, it appears that BBC employees have found a way to work around the system, BuzzFeed News reports.
In advertisements on myinternswap.com, one member of staff apparently offered work experience on BBC News in exchange for a placement for their 17-year-old son.
The ad revealed the teenager to be a pupil at the City of London School for Boys, which has an annual tuition fee of nearly £15,000.
'Elitist': Another now removed ad on the website offers a placement within the BBC's legal division in exchange for work experience for a University College London student
Another is offering a placement in 'Consulting, Law' with the BBC in exchange for an internship in Law, Creative Arts, Media and a number of other fields, for a 21-year-old University College London student.
The ads have since been removed from the website, and a BBC spokesman told BuzzFeed News that the practice 'does not fall within the terms of our policy'.
'The BBC is strongly committed to equal opportunities and making sure our opportunities are open to all,' the spokesperson added.
The website has been criticised by careers website Graduate Fog, which discovered the anomalies, for punishing students without family connections.
Website founder Tanya de Grunwald told MailOnline: 'What about children of those parents who might have nothing to trade, either because they’re unemployed, unable to work or not senior enough to create such placements?,'
'They could up penalised because of their parents’ circumstances, even if they are brighter and more hard-working than the children of those in the sought-after professions. This could put them at a disadvantage right from the very start of their career.'
A representative for myinternswap.com responded to the criticism by telling the newspaper that the website is working against elitism by 'helping democratise the process of securing valuable work experience.'