Only 54% of people doing a traineeship or apprenticeship in the European Union receive compensation, according to Eurofound data.
The findings were published in a new report by the European Court of Auditors (ECA) on participation, quality and outcomes of traineeships in the 27 EU Member States.
While traineeships have become an almost obligatory step for many young adults wanting to enter the labour market, only four in ten indicated receiving a job offer after their traineeship period – with women having to hold more positions in traineeships or apprenticeships than men do before securing a regular job.
"As traineeships become more common among young people entering the labour market, it is crucial that they provide good learning experiences," said Eurofound Head of Unit for Social Policies Massimiliano Mascherini, emphasising the importance of quality and skills development.
"Ensuring traineeships are not used to disguise regular jobs is a key concern. Beyond that, traineeship providers should appoint a mentor for targeted support and advice, as well as promote equal access to opportunities and fair compensation," he added.
Guaranteeing fair pay
People who have completed a tertiary education degree were more often entitled to compensation than those whose highest completed education was secondary level.
The European Commission is proposing improving working conditions for trainees, including pay, inclusiveness and quality of traineeships in the EU. The initiative consists of a proposal for a Directive on improving and enforcing working conditions for trainees and combatting regular employment relationships disguised as traineeships.
While the European Parliament voted to ban the practice in June 2023 and a directive was supposed to be published this January, it has already been postponed twice. Now, unions are fearing that it will not be published in time for the June elections.
Additionally, it includes a proposal to revise the 2014 Council Recommendation on a Quality Framework for Traineeships – which was non-binding and did not include remuneration as a 'quality' factor – to guarantee fair pay and access to social protection.
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Trade unions and youth organisations have long been urging the EU to create a law banning unpaid internships, a demand they are now doubling down on in the run-up to the elections in June. The present arrangement often results in unequal opportunities and conditions for young people, which is especially dangerous in combination with traineeships becoming more important.
Over half of young adults in the survey indicated that they had participated in a traineeship or an apprenticeship. Germany had the highest level of participation, followed by Austria, France and the Netherlands, while the lowest levels were recorded in Slovakia, Croatia and Ireland.
These data were extracted from the 2023 edition of Eurofound’s Living and Working in the EU and Neighbouring Countries survey. The survey was conducted online and covers 2,666 respondents between 16 and 34 years old.
