For many undergraduates in Singapore, university term breaks often come with a familiar question: Should you take on an internship (that may not pay very much), or go for a higher-paying full-time job like working in F&B, retail, or as a delivery rider?
Earlier this year, Manpower Minister Tan See Leng went viral for answering this question – saying that undergraduates should focus on exposure, not pay – saying “my advice to all young undergraduates: Don’t think about what kind of stipend or pay that’s going to come (during your internship).”
No one can argue that this is bad or wrong advice. But, not thinking about the pay isn’t always a luxury that all undergraduates have. Sometimes, it may depend on their personal circumstances in life.
Earning More Per Hour Will Pay Undergraduates The Most
If your priority is to earn the most money, taking on a full-time job at a place like Starbucks, as a barista, or even becoming a rider for food delivery platforms may seem like the better deal.
These jobs typically pay higher hourly rates than internships, and you’re compensated directly for the time you put in. While some may still argue that experience plays a part, the pay is not typically differentiated based on it.
In these kinds of jobs, you are simply exchanging time for money.
Someone who has been delivering food for 2 weeks can earn the same as someone who has been delivering food for 5 years. To attract enough workers to these roles, the pay has to be sufficient for middle-aged worker to support their family. That’s why undergraduates can earn a higher pay in these roles.
There’s also no need to worry about “career relevance” or impressing your manager for a potential job conversion. When your shift ends, your job is done. For students who need to support themselves, save for tuition fees, or contribute to household expenses, this is a straightforward and necessary path.
Nevertheless, these jobs can teach you important soft skills — customer service, time management, and dealing with stress. Since you are exchanging time for money, many of these roles also offer greater flexibility in determining your working hours. You may still retain the flexibility to pursue other commitments and entertainment during your term break. Even when classes start, the flexible working hours in such jobs allows you to continue working.
Start Climbing The Corporate Ladder With Internships
Internships, especially those related to your course of study, offers value that goes beyond your paycheck.
Landing an internship gives you the opportunity to apply what you’ve learnt in school to the real working world. Unlike a full-time job as delivery rider or barista at a café, you’re not just exchanging time for money. You’re contributing your ideas, knowledge, and enthusiasm to real projects. You’re also learning about the industry, understanding how the business operates, and gaining exposure to corporate work environments.
In many ways, internships are your first step into the career path you want to build. A good internship can give you the foundation, network, and credibility to break into your desired role.
Internships are also a chance to show potential employers what you’re capable of, including how you communicate, how you perform under pressure, and whether you’re a good cultural fit.
In fact, it’s not unheard of for companies in Singapore to use internships as a pipeline to hire fresh graduates. If you do well, you may find yourself with a return offer – even before you graduate.
Not Everyone Has The Option To Take A Lower Pay
While internships can be valuable, they also come with a dose of reality: they tend to pay less today, while potentially giving you a bigger upside in the future. At the same time, you cannot hinge your future on the internship either – it may simply not work out.
This situation, though, creates an uneven playing field. Some more privileged students can afford to earn less and take on multiple internships during their term breaks. Over time, it will build up their resumes and professional networks.
Others, especially those from lower-income households, may not have this luxury. Apart from potentially having to work part-time during school term, they may also choose to put in full-time efforts into their jobs during term breaks rather than go for a lower-paying internship. This will give them more income to help their families or pay for their own expenses. They may also do this because they are already committed to the part-time job, and cannot simply quit during their term breaks, and return when their school term restarts.
It’s not always that one group is “less driven” than the other. Sometimes, it’s about access, and this is a privilege gap that can impact future job prospects.
An interesting way to view this from the other side is that those who have interned repeatedly may be seen as “more motivated”, “more experienced” or “industry-ready”, even though they may be shouldering fewer responsibilities in life.
Career-Building Is A Decades-Long Endeavour
At the end of the day, it’s not always about which is better, but about what you need at this point in your life.
Like what Manpower Minister Tan See Leng alluded to, internships can better prepare you for the jobs market and open career doors in the future. Conversely, a full-time job, where you may be exchanging time for money, may be the better option if your immediate concern is helping your family pay the bills or paying for your own university education.
Career-building is a decades-long endeavour, and if you’re in the position that you have to start with full-time work for now, you can always look for ways to gradually pivot into internships or industry roles when your situation allows. On the flip side, if you can afford to take on internships, make the most of the opportunity to learn, network, and gain clarity about your career path.
Read Also: Are Higher Salary Expectations Affecting Graduate Employment in Singapore?
