Concerns about unpaid labour and a lack of local vacancies are deterring students and graduates seeking internships and summer placements.

According to research by the National Council for Work Experience (NCWE), a survey of 1,165 students and graduates found that 82% are unaware of schemes in their own region. And 74% are turned off applying for placements this summer because of concerns that they would have to work unpaid while their student debt mounts.

Heather Collier, director of the NCWE, says: “Graduates desperately need some work experience to add to their CV to make them a better prospect for employers, and with rising levels of unemployment this is vital. There are a lot of unpaid internships around at the moment, but there are also many paid placements, particularly locally.”