Those who have secured an internship in the UK should receive a wage for the time and work that they do at a particular organisation.

That is the view of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), which is urging the government to introduce a training wage of £2.50 per hour, claiming that the move would boost the UK's productivity.

In its Blueprint for Growth report, the organisation states that as well as offering remuneration to those on an internship in the UK, flexible working rights should be extended to cover all employees.

John Philpott, chief economic adviser at the CIPD, stated that the government needs to be more proactive in boosting the UK's economic growth.

"The coalition needs to show greater urgency in implementing measures to help boost the long-run supply side capacity of the UK economy, which must include efforts to boost productivity by improving the way in which businesses manage the people they employ," he added.

Lambeth councillor Leanne Targett-Parker recently told the Streatham Guardian that she reneged on a pledge by the Labour party not to hire unpaid interns as she believes that internships offer great hands-on experience and boost candidates' CVs.
 

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