Ameritech Financial Asks: Do Unpaid Internships Make Things Worse for Student Loan Borrowers?

ROHNERT PARK, Calif., March 14, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- It might seem intuitive that more work experience is better for landing a job, but that doesn't always seem to be the case. Unpaid internships, for example, do not appear to lead to a greater chance of job offers, possibly hurting job-seekers who are also student loan borrowers. Ameritech Financial, a document preparation company that helps align student loan borrowers with federal repayment programs that could potentially lower their monthly payments, supports better opportunities for borrowers to improve their financial outlook.

"Even with better unemployment numbers, recent college grads still might have a hard time finding work, plus more and more graduates are saddled with student debt," said Tom Knickerbocker, executive vice president of Ameritech Financial.

Now officials in Wisconsin are looking to add an internship as a graduation prerequisite for the 26-campus University of Wisconsin system. What these internships will be like is still in question, but if not done right, education experts say the internships could backfire and potentially hurt students. Since many Wisconsin college students are also student loan borrowers, a mismanaged internship requirement could potentially worsen borrowers' employment prospects, too.

In addition to poorer future job prospects, many students just cannot afford to take an unpaid internship for immediate financial reasons. Unpaid internships are ostensibly for the benefit of the intern, thus justifying the lack of pay, but it's hard to tell whether every unpaid internship falls squarely in this category. Even in a best-case scenario, where the internship meets all requirements to be unpaid, the opportunity to work another job for money is lost when the student takes the unpaid internship.

Ameritech Financial assists federal student loan borrowers who need guidance regarding repayment, including those who may be struggling with their monthly loan payments. Individuals who have had poorer employment outcomes post-graduation might be interested in an income-driven repayment plan. These plans are offered by the Department of Education and require an application and yearly recertification. Ameritech Financial is a private company — not affiliated with any government agency or any loan servicer — and assists borrowers in applying and recertifying their enrollment in a repayment plan that better fits their financial needs.

"At Ameritech Financial, we're interested in helping borrowers move past any hurdles they've had towards a better financial future," said Knickerbocker. "The way we contribute is by helping borrowers use the repayment resources and strategies that work best for them."

About Ameritech Financial

Ameritech Financial is a private company located in Rohnert Park, California. Ameritech Financial has already helped thousands of consumers with financial analysis and student loan document preparation to apply for federal student loan repayment programs offered through the Department of Education.

Ameritech Financial is a member of the Association for Student Loan Relief (AFSLR), and each representative on the phone has received the Certified Student Loan Professional certification through the International Association of Professional Debt Arbitrators (IAPDA).

Ameritech Financial prides itself on its exceptional customer service.

Contact

To learn more about Ameritech Financial, please contact:

Ameritech Financial
5789 State Farm Drive #265
Rohnert Park, CA 94928
1-800-792-8621
customer.service@ameritechfinancial.com

Related Links

Ameritech Financial home page

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SOURCE Ameritech Financial