How do Remote Internships Impact Disabled Candidates?
2020 and 2021 has led to remote internships becoming commonplace. So, what’s next and how will this affect disabled interns?
Internships can be competitive at the best of times – a global pandemic makes things far more difficult. A July 2020 report from the Sutton Trust found that 61% of surveyed employers cancelled all or some of their usual internship offerings in 2020, while 48% believed that 2021 would offer fewer opportunities.
The internships which did go ahead were overwhelmingly remote. Amidst a wider cultural shift (seven in ten of those currently working at home plan not to return to the office), remote internships may offer unique opportunities for disabled candidates.
Julia Grant, Employer Relations Manager at Leonard Cheshire’s Change 100 scheme – a programme of paid summer work placements for disabled students and recent graduates – witnessed the impact of coronavirus on internships first-hand. In 2020, they “were expecting about 180 internships. And then the pandemic hit”.
There were always some internships available with elements of remote working (including flexible hours as a reasonable adjustment). However, Change 100 did not facilitate any fully remote internships prior to the pandemic. The 49 internships that eventually went ahead in the summer of 2020 were all remote, offering a new opportunity for companies and candidates alike.
Image by Pexels from Pixabay: there is a black desk with a laptop that has the number ‘16 35 53’ on the screen, sunglasses, and an electronic tablet. A woman’s elbow rests on the desk, she holds a mobile phone with the hand on her other arm. She wears a grey top, a black jacket and bracelets on both wrists as well as a watch on her elbow-resting arm.
Change 100’s professional development scheme, offered to interns and focusing on wider employability skills, was also made remote. Since moving the scheme online, engagement has been higher and “barriers to access”, like commuting, have been removed. This, combined with a positive reception to remote working more widely, highlights a future path for internships; in 2021, many of Change 100’s offerings were wholly online. As Julia highlighted, “if you want to continue accessing fresh fantastic talent, you need to commit to doing these things remotely”.
There are many advantages to remote internships. They offer geographic flexibility – interns do not have to be in the same part of the country (or, in some cases, even in the same country) as the firm at which they work. Removing the need to relocate can limit fatigue and remove some financial barriers, promoting an intersectional approach. Moreover, many disabled candidates find adjustments easier when working from home – they may already have ergonomic equipment, while working flexibly is more anticipated than it would be in an office environment.
Gwen is completing a placement with Change 100 focusing on communications. She noted that “allowing people to choose what will best suit them in terms of where they work [and] how they work” will lead to the best results – both for interns and for the companies where they’re employed. Daniel interned at social mobility firm Zero Gravity this summer. He found working from home more accommodating for his needs: “I sometimes suffer tiredness associated with my disability, so the ability to go for a walk to refresh, roll out of bed 5 minutes before start to conserve energy, and sometimes taking a nap during the day was appreciated”.
Other companies are also providing even more flexibility; Forage, a free virtual work experience platform, allows users to complete their five-to-six-hour schemes whenever they like. The virtual work experience programs are provided by top firms like Clifford Chance, KPMG and JP Morgan and designed to be “as accessible as possible”, according to Yasmin Monfared, Director of Marketing at Forage.
They include “written texts, videos with audio and transcriptions, and general audio options, resources and guidance (including a chat function in case participants feel stuck), to create a safe-space learning environment”. While these schemes don’t pay or lead directly to a job, their accessibility and the short length of their programs means applicants can research sectors in which they’d like to pursue further work.
While remote internships have been praised by candidates and companies, the extent of their benefits has been questioned by some. Rishi Sunak told LinkedIn News that he still spoke to his early mentors from his time in finance, continuing "I doubt I would have had those strong relationships if I was doing my summer internship or my first bit of my career over Teams and Zoom." "That's why I think for young people in particular, being able to physically be in an office is valuable”.
Matt, a recent graduate, completed an in-person internship with the BBC and appreciated his time in the office, along with how supportive the team were regarding his epilepsy: “I’d have definitely missed that face-to-face interaction and just absorbing the general atmosphere”. He continued “just being able to go up to someone and ask a question or for help was really good”.
Similarly, Danni completed a law internship in-person this summer. She felt office time “gave my day a clearer structure as it meant when I left the office I finished working as opposed to being tempted to keep going”. She also praised the flexibility of the firm, noting that they offered remote working, which she would have taken if her health conditions had flared up. However, there are steps companies can take to build strong relationships and communication channels with interns working remotely.
Change 100 offers guidance and resources to line managers, alongside providing a working from home guide for companies and interns. Julia highlighted the importance of “regular communication and a support system for the intern”, saying that this was “even more valuable during Covid”. Daniel met with members of his team at least twice a week to discuss his internship, saying he felt they were “always available”.
For some candidates, adjustments begin before the internship starts. Saffron, a marketing intern at our own Sick in the City, pointed out that, along with the internship itself, application and interview stages must “take into mind the different needs of disabilities”.
Danni highlighted the importance of being forthcoming with inclusive practices to create “a culture where disabled people feel welcome”. Similarly, Julia explained that “open, honest communication”, along with flexibility, is key – “adjustments tend to be easy to make and often lead to better ways of working for everybody”.
Whether remote internships will outlast the pandemic has yet to be assessed. Mitigating potential difficulties with communication, loneliness and team spirit presents a challenge for employers. However, amidst a wider shift towards working from home, remote internships offer a more accessible and inclusive model – enabling companies to discover a greater range of talent.
Written by Abigail Howe