At the end of 2023, over 1.2 million people were studying at universities in Poland, with 292.1 thousand graduates (2022/23). Many of them were dedicating their time to kickstart their career. Young people, who once had to settle for unpaid internships in hope of gaining valuable experience, are now able to expect remuneration for their work. The average salaries offered to interns range from 3.8 thousand PLN to 5.3 thousand PLN, as shown by the analysis of the Progres Group. Besides this, there are other benefits. Internship durations are varied, ranging from one month to even two years.
The job market for interns is dynamic. It is not hard to find an offer and verify whether a job in a particular industry is exactly what someone would want as a long-term career. Currently, companies in sectors such as office administration, banking, finance and economics, trade, TSL, production, marketing, IT and HR are most in need of interns. There are fewer internship opportunities in the construction, advisory, legal, HoReCa, real estate, health and beauty sectors. However, the employment conditions for interns often don’t differ significantly from those offered to potential candidates for higher positions. Various benefits and salary supplements are also offered.
The IT sector is the most open to entry-level remote offers. 41% of offers are for work in a hybrid system, 54% require the intern’s physical presence in the office, and only 5% of companies offer remote internships. However, a greater commitment is expected as 69% of superiors expect full-time engagement.
According to data from the national ELA system, the highest salaries for Master’s degree graduates in the class of 2022 were in the Mazowieckie province (5,791.53 PLN) and the lowest in the Podlaskie province (4,697.55 PLN). The Progres Group, analysing 2500 recruitment ads, found that salaries for interns vary greatly depending on the region. The lowest offer was 1.2 thousand PLN for part-time work, but the majority of offers guarantee significantly higher earnings.
Companies also offer various benefits that increase with the duration of the internship. These include meal and commuter subsidies, training and courses, regular preventive tests, holiday packages, and team integration events.
Internships are a two-way assessment process – they enable the intern to check whether they fit into a particular industry and give the employer the opportunity to verify if the candidate meets their expectations and is worth hiring for a more extended period. However, an internship does not guarantee future employment with the same employer or a work contract after its completion. This decision depends on various factors such as the company’s financial situation or the intern’s efficiency in the tasks performed.
Source: https://managerplus.pl/staze-w-polsce-wiecej-platnych-ofert-i-elastycznych-warunkow-37941
