Summer’s almost here, the traditional season of the internship.

But interns beware: in the last few years a series of lawsuits against employers offering unpaid internships have changed the rules of the apprenticeship game.

Rachel Feintzeig is a management reporter for the Wall Street Journal, and has been writing about the plight of the new internship.

In recent years, internships have become a near-necessity for college students trying to stand out in a brutal job market. And while some positions can provide valuable work experience and a glimpse into corporate life, critics maintain that the stints often amount to little more than unpaid labor.

 

A survey last year from the National Association of Colleges and Employers suggests unpaid internships don’t help students land full-time jobs. Alums of unpaid internships had full-time job offers at nearly the same rate as those who had no internships at all—about 37%, compared with 62% for those with paid internships.

To read more about how internships are changing, read Rachel’s article for the Wall Street Journal