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Despite the fact that the recession began in 2008, current unemployment statistics show that we still have a long way to go.  According to BBC business statistics, unemployment is a lagging indicator. In other words, unemployment began to rise dramatically after the recession began; it didn’t rise immediately. It was a few months after the start of the recession before employment levels began to reflect the economic downturn. When the recession hit, unemployment figures were at 1.6 million ( a bit over 5 percent of the population). It wasn’t until the end of 2011 when unemployment peaked at almost 2.7 million.…

When you find yourself unemployed, it’s tempting to be lured into doing an unpaid internship. On the face of it, companies are reaching out a kind hand, helping you back on your feet, helping you boost your CV. However, the face of internships has drastically changed since the recent global recession. Internships used to be a form of (paid) apprenticeship with a good chance of securing a job at the end. In more recent times, however, they have become more of a last resort for the long-term unemployed or an easy way for savvy employers to get free labour. Internships are increasingly displacing real jobs, particularly…