[kirklancaster]

Originally Posted by Livia

That's what a lot of people think about unpaid internships, that's it's just for rich kids. Fact is that they're done by people with ambition and a will to work in a certain area. I know people who've done unpaid internships and held down a couple of part time jobs to pay the bills. Credit to them... if you need experience there's only one way to get it, and sitting on your backside moaning about other people being privileged isn't the way to go.

My wife works 60+ hours per week on minimum wage. I have worked all my life (sometimes for as little as £10 per day in real terms) and we have genuinely struggled at times - adverse times - bringing up three children. We made sacrifices; very real sacrifices; like only having one real holiday in 21 years, and even selling our home and possessions when times went really bad (the property crash) but the results of all this is evident every time I see what brilliant decent, educated, hard-working kids we have.

One of my sons has held part time jobs all the way through school from being 12 and has continued to do so through University where he has incurred loans of £30,000 in gaining his Law degree. The other is the same and took a below minimum wage B.S. job which first entailed him carrying out the most mind-numbingly menial drudgery, but he is now on £25,000 + company car with another firm - solely because of the experience he gained with the other firm.

I know everyone is different, but sometimes people seem comparatively 'well off' when the truth is - as you say - that they worked damned hard, made great sacrifices, and budgeted and planned.