sadgrove

Or maybe, 'I got myself trained in a new profession for just £66 a day. Then I set up my own business, and now I'm earning lots of money'.

So we're agreed that, if you got good training out of it, it would be a terrific deal. And as regards employers hiring people, small businesses aren't hiring. At least, they aren't hiring people who don't have experience in their field. That's why people need to get themselves trained.

You have to invest in your future. It's called training. I go on courses. I go to conferences and trade fairs. I buy books and magazines. But I guess you don't believe in that kind of stuff? Kit

In medieval times, parents paid a craftsman a fee to take their child as an apprentice, and teach them skills. It's the same thing. Kit

That's not a bad idea, mfp123. I'll look into that. It partly depends on what the least employers will accept, to compensate their loss of productivity etc. But a longer term package deal might be attractive to them. Thanks Kit

Hi again Yes, there's the possibility of abuse from bad employers. I plan to resolve that with an Amazon-style rating system from the interns. I have no idea about the quality of the health/medical guy in Harrow. It could be a great opportunity or a rubbish one. I need to help interns get clear on what the company will offer. If the intern just gets to man the phones, it will be a waste of time for them and they shouldn't accept it. Bear in mind, if the intern has a bad experience, they'll come on to me loudly demanding a refund, and giving us bad publicity in the forums - like at HPC. And yes, we get a margin out of the fee the interns pays. That's just business. And yes, too, I agree the economy is in a shocking, scary state. I wouldn't want to be a young person looking for a job now. Equally, I know that the people who get jobs are the ones who stand out from the crowd. Getting a few days experience on your CV would be one way to do that. Best wishes Kit

OK, about the courses. I run home-study courses that help people become self-employed. They get to be interior designers, event planners and dog groomers. Not everyone succeeds. But we get really positive feedback on the website (www.inst.org). And for some people, their lives are changed. A common issue has been ex-students asking how they might get practical work experience. Because most small companies don't provide any kind of internships. And that's why I decided to launch Etsio.com. I spoke to a recruitment consultant today. He's a one-man band, been in business for 14 years. He's never thought about hiring an intern. Today, a young person in Newcastle can get a foot on the ladder by learning about the recruitment industry. Is it worth £200, to get that experience? I think it is. Kit

I guarantee the intern will: - Spend most of their time with the business owner or senior managers (unless agreed otherwise in advance) - Have all their reasonable questions answered - Get to see all aspects of the business operations. If that doesn't happen, I'll refund them, and throw the offending business off the site. Kit

Hi Greg I admit it, I put the site up. And I know it sounds bad. But there's a reason for it. Basically, small vibrant companies don't take on interns because it's just too much bother. So this is my way of giving people access for a few days to these amazing businesses. Students are now spending £40,000 on a university education. And what do they get for it? A nice roll of paper and some mates. But I don't see why they wouldn't spend a few hundred quid more getting experience alongside a small business owner. Especially when the intern has no skills to offer the business. I'm totally against companies who take on 'interns' for six months at a time, making them do the job of proper workers. That's real exploitation. Whereas a few days sitting with the small firm CEO could change your life. What do you think? Kit