Pilot must give students a fairer chance at an internship

With the start of the new academic year, many Summa students begin their internships. To combat internship discrimination and offer students equal opportunities, three students from Legal Professions , part of Summa Economics & Entrepreneurship , participated in a pilot with open hiring.

Instead of a traditional job application, the students completed a practical case study. This was assessed anonymously by participating employers, without names or profile photos. Based on this, students were matched with an internship company.

The pilot is an initiative of the Start Foundation, a social organization committed to an inclusive labor market and equal employment opportunities. Summa and the ROC of Amsterdam participated in the pilot. Summa was happy to cooperate with this initiative because we believe that every student deserves a fair chance at a suitable internship.

“We hope that this pilot shows that open hiring can also be a sustainable alternative for internships,” says Mieke Leenders of Juridische Beroepen. “If this approach catches on, many more students will be able to gain their first work experience without unnecessary barriers.”

The pilot will be evaluated in the coming period. The participating schools, employers, and the Start Foundation will investigate whether this approach can contribute to reducing discrimination during internships and offer students fairer chances of securing an internship.

At Summa, we believe that talent, skills, and motivation should be the guiding factors when finding an internship, not someone's name, background, or appearance. That is why we remain committed to initiatives that contribute to equal opportunities for all our students.