This Practice Note considers employment Law issues surrounding interns doing work experience.

There is no legal definition of an internship but the Common Best Practice Code for High Quality Internships (Code) produced by the Gateways to the Professions Collaborative Forum in association with the relevant government department and others (part of the GOV.UK guidance on providing quality internships) describes it as being where 'an individual works so as to gain relevant professional experience before embarking on a career'. It is therefore work experience related to an individual's chosen career. The theory is that by undertaking professional experience in a certain sector, an intern develops their professional skills and knowledge, thereby increasing their future employability.

The Code has no legal effect but does provide a statement of best practice. It states that an internship can be used to describe a variety of situations, such as:

1. •

   undergraduate, graduate or postgraduate placements: these may take place during vacation periods, in between courses or after a student has finished higher education

2. •

   students in further education (such as sixth-form, tertiary and specialist colleges and adult education