Internships within the Scottish Government: FOI release

Information requested

Scottish Government use internships, and if so, what is their prevalence; and if so, how does the government distinguish between volunteering and internships? If so, are any payments/ expenses made to those individuals.

Response

The Scottish Government does offer internships, but these are mostly limited and tend to be targeted, specialist opportunities rather than a major recruitment pathway, sitting alongside more prominent routes such as graduate schemes and apprenticeships. Most of our interns are placed within the Scottish Government as part of their University course. It draws a clear distinction between internships and volunteering in line with wider Scottish policy: internships are structured work placements linked to career development and which can be treated as paid roles, whereas volunteering is defined as freely given, unpaid time that does not substitute for paid employment. In terms of payment, interns typically receive a stipend or salary‑like support, while volunteers are not paid for their time. 

Scottish Government participates in the following Going Forward into Employment internship schemes:

1. Employability in Scotland – this scheme includes No One Left Behind. It's aimed at offering individuals tailored support to help find sustainable employment.

2. Military Veterans - a programme that promotes opportunities to individuals who have left service within the last five years or who have left service within the last 10 years seriously injured. Spouses or partners of someone currently serving or who left service within the last five years can also be offered a role through GFIE if they needed to move around or provide family support. Currently, only roles at Scottish Government grades A3, A4 or B1 level are eligible for the scheme.

3. Care Leaver Internships – the Department for Education (DfE) Care Leaver Internship Scheme offers young people leaving care the opportunity to develop professional skills through 12 month internships. Applicants must be between 18 and 30 years old and have been eligible for a leaving care support package when they left care. Participation in the DfE Care Leaver scheme forms part of the Scottish Government's wider commitment to support care experienced young people. It also backs the findings of The Promise, which sets out the vision and blueprint for caring for Scotland's children and young people. Internships are offered at either grade A3 or B1 level and recruitment is on an annual basis.

4. Inclusion Scotland - Scottish Government is an Inclusion Scotland Partner in the Employment and Internship Programme – a national initiative that supports disabled people into paid, project based internships with organisations in the public, private and third sectors. Currently, only roles at Scottish Government grades A3, A4 or B1 level are eligible for the scheme. 

The number of interns from each scheme varies depending on commitments made and roles available.

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