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Subject:Re: Why Internships Indeed From:John Lee Bumgarner <jbumgarner -at- VNET -dot- IBM -dot- COM> Date:Thu, 27 Oct 1994 12:07:40 EDT
In re John Gear's 26 Oct 93 comment: I agree that internships (and probably,
co-ops) may hurt the profession in the long run, but those experiential
learning opportunities offer folks the opportunity to
explore careers, make contacts, etc. Without the new blood and new ideas and
fresh faces, the vocation might wither away, even without the help of mgt.
In my previous career (museology) unpaid and low-paying internships were the
norm. Even my co-op position now (a very low level editor) in the tech. writing
field pays more than what I was paid as a managing editor in a state-run
museum. For me, I would not have the opportunity to make a career change w/o
transition of the co-op job I hold currently, and I am willing to work
as a co-op to make may bones. Believe me, the pay in the tech. writing field
is $10,000 to $20,000 more than in many humanities-based positions. This
pasture is far greener than the old one I am leaving.
Lee Bumgarner
