Complaint Review: Washington Internship Program - Washington District of Columbia

Washington D.C. Internship Program

I want to say this first before I tell you my story. I was misled. The book they sent me stated In twenty-five years, the Washington Internship Program never failed to place an "INTERN IN A POSITION THE PARTICIPANT WANTED." I didn't get what I wanted.

While researching for an internship, I came across the Washington D.C. Internship site in February 08. As I browsed through their website, it stated that they can guarantee you an Internship in YOUR field of interest. So, I decided to give them a call because it peak my interested.

The first person that I had spoken to was Dave. He gave me the answers that I was looking for. He said that I can get a paid internship and I can operative in an IT position that I wanted. I said that I wanted to work for an IT Security Company who will allow me to enhance my IT security skills. I informed him that I wanted to be a security analyst and so on. He said no problem. The next time I called, Dr. Bayer answers the phone. She gave me the answers that I was looking for. I continued to call in order to see will I get different answers from other staff members, but the answers were the same.

I decided to apply two months later because I was hoping to find a job before than. Washington D.C. Internship costs 3,400 dollars. If I decided to give them my money, I will be broke and have to build revenue again. When I was accepted into their program, Swati (A staff member) asked me what position I wanted. I said I wanted to be a security analyst, network security analyst, IT-project manager in security, and chief information officer. Latter on, they email me job leads of companies that they wanted me to apply to. They informed me to send my resume and cover letter to each company either by fax or by email.

After I have done so, they informed me to give each company a call to see that they had received my resume. As being apart of the program for a while, certain companies that I have spoken to during my interviewed either by phone or in-person said that they didn't offered the type of experience that I was looking for OR they were NOT PAID. I TOLD Washington D.C. Internship program that I WANTED a PAID INTERNSHIP that WILL ENHANCE MY SKILLS. WHAT UP WITH THAT!!! I told Dr. Linda Bayer (The head of Washington D.C. Program) that the companies you are sending to CLAIM that they didn't deal with any IT security. Dr. Bayer said that I was not telling the true. She gave me this reason The Companies didn't want you any way so they lied to you.

Below, is one of the companies that they sent me to. They said they didn't deal with IT Security, but the Washington D.C. Internship said that they did.

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Megan Billingsley

New Light Technologies, Inc.

800 K. Street NW

Suite MR10

Washington, DC 20001

Phone: 202.842.4NLT

Fax: 202.280.2052

I had email Dave from the Washington D.C. Internship and told him that I wouldn't apply if I knew that your COMPANY OFFER MORE UNPAID THEN PAID. He apologized that the Washington D.C. Internship Program led me on and told me that I should accept an unpaid internship because they can't guarantee it. In the month of July 08, Dr. Bayer sent me for an interview concerning Internet Security position. I went on the interview and the company hired me. The company asked me can I do other things within their company. I told them that I can not but they wanted me any way. For example, the company wanted to know can I do website development, I told them that I didn't go to school for that.

Within ONE week, Dr. Bayer said that the company was not happy with me. I wondered why since my first week working with the company, the manager took me and their staff members to a baseball game, spy museum, and we celebrate an employee birthday at a restaurant since this staff member was going back to school. It was more than a fun week than a work week.

The second and LAST WEEK working their, I did a whole lot of marketing. NO COMPUTER WORK! They let me go. They said that I didn't do nothing wrong. When I spoke to Dr. Bayer of what I did wrong, she told me that I DIDNT KNOW ANY COMPUTER. SAY WHAT!! She said that the company wouldn't lie. Dr. BAYER WAS CALLING ME A LYIER. WOW!!!

Washington D.C. Internship Program set me up to get my money. They didn't want to destroy their 25 years record. NEVER FAIL TO PLACE AN INTERN. She sent me on another jobs and it wasn't my interest, but I needed the money. I have little money since I paid her 3,400 dollars. I have a car note, student loans, and other bills. I wanted to be place into a job that will enhance my skills that I went to school for. She sent to other company call ACS to be placed.

After the interview with ACS, I TOLD DR. LINDA BAYER THAT THE COMPANY ONLY WANTED ME TO DO RESEARCH. The interviewer told me this during the interview. SHE TOLD ME THAT I WAS A LYING on the phone. She told me this company doesn't only wanted me to do this. When I was working for ACS, I told her that I was unhappy. The next day she sent me this very EVIL EMAIL.

This is her email on 8/12/2008 at 5:06. PM.

Dear Electa,

You are caught in the middle in terms of not knowing enough general I.T. to work in a specific I.T. internship or one specializing in I.T. security, and not having any experience in your field. Restaurant work, for example, won't get you accepted at an I.T. internship.

In addition, if you want to be "happy" and do whatever interests you (as opposed to what a company needs done), you need to accept an unpaid internship. Then you can do whatever amuses you, what you want to learn, and only what you find interesting. You could still work at Georgetown University in an unpaid capacity and do mostly what you want.

We placed you at an I.T. internship that was paid and that specializes in security internships, but we were told that you were let go because: 1) you did not know enough general I.T. work that most I.T. interns know, 2) you couldn't operate outside a narrow area dealing with security that no company would ever have enough work to fill, 3) you lacked understanding of how all offices operate, and 4) you lacked maturity in judgment in understanding how businesses operate.

I think the information that you lack in this connection is that if a company pays you, then you need to assist that business with everything that the company needs done that is professionally acceptable (i.e.: not dating managers or anything inappropriate). If you want to do just what interests YOU, then you need to work as a volunteer and fail to earn money to support yourself. You will learn this truth at any internship or job that you get.

The reason that people get a liberal arts college education is so that you will have broad skills to do a wide range of skills. For example, an independent I.T. firm needs to get contracts or you can't do the I.T. work involved. If Accounting and Computer Solutions gets these contracts, you'll have plenty of I.T. hands-on work to do.

So, if you want to do just what YOU want to do, tell Mr. S that you don't need to get paid anymore, and in exchange you want to do what is most educational for you whether it helps his business or not, and tell your parents that you need them to keep supporting you for another ten years, and then you can do whatever you want to do or whatever you imagine that I.T. companies ought to do -- even though you have no idea whatsoever what these companies need to do to stay in business. However, if you are going to get paid, you will need to be able to do whatever THEY need done -- and you'll need to appear happy doing it.

Electa, you and I both know that you don't really have a "masters" degree in I.T. as a result of an I.T. online course.

Why do she go their!

If you just want to do only what you like, you could start an I.T. company of your own if you had about $100,000 to rent office space, hire employees, buy all the equipment, and try yourself to do what Mr. Stevenson is doing. I do not think you have either the I.T. expertise or the funds to spend $100,000 a year. To save up all this money, you will first need to work for someone else and do what they need for their company to succeed.

In general, if you only want to do what YOU want -- and not what the company needs done -- you must live at home and be supported by your parents and work in an unpaid capacity. If you want to get paid, you need to do what the people or company that hires you needs done. The reason you are compensated financially is because you are doing what an I.T. company needs to prosper -- not because you are learning on the job what you didn't learn in college. If the company is training you but you aren't really useful to them, they won't pay you, and you might need to pay them.

You can also go to Georgetown University in an unpaid capacity and get IT experience on web-sites.

However, I think you will just be postponing the basic truth that you would still need to learn at the end of that training program. Unless you start your own company, which you can't do until you have had decades of experience working for others, if you seek to get paid, you need to do what the company needs done -- not what you imagine that they ought to do in order to amuse or educate you. I.T. companies do a wide range of I.T. related activities.

Again, if you just want to do what you want, tell your boss you don't need to be paid, and he will probably agree. As long as you are paid, you will need to do what an I.T. company needs done. Your duties won't be the same for months, and after you do some of what the company needs done, then you can get a chance to do more of what you want to do.

By the way, what happened with the shopping company, and what is its exact name?

You can still keep applying anywhere you like, but the most important thing you need is years of experience at one place. The idea that you can work for four months and then make $60,000 a year somewhere is entirely unrealistic.

So, you need to choose between money -- and the ability to support yourself, afford an apartment of your own, travel, and be independent -- or doing volunteer work that interests you each minute but isn't lucrative, so you remain in a dependent situation relative to your parents. Few internships are paid, and if you accept pay, you give up the choice of doing just what you like. Getting clients is a significant part of any I.T. company. You won't get paid for someone primarily teaching you what you don't know.

I told her that I wanted my money back on Aug 18, 2008. She sent me this email. I have been accepted within her program. What give anybody the right to speak this way toward a human being.

This is her other email that she sent me on 8/18/2008 at 10:59 PM.

Dear Electa,

Again, our program does not offer "happiness" but professional internships. Thus far, you had three such offers.

To find "happiness," you probably need to see a psychologist and learn if you are depressed or what elements you should change in your life to make you happy. If you are unhappy because you want to live in Hawaii, the Washington Internship Program could never have helped you because we are the Washington Internship Program. We make no placements in Hawaii.

Under no circumstances will WIP return your money because we provided every professional service we promised:

A positive attitude is something we at WIP try to teach, but ultimately you need to assume some responsibility for what you do with the opportunities you are given. Professionally, I think your dissatisfactions are not a product of the internships we got for you but other personal problems you are experiencing that WIP is not in a position to solve. For these types of family difficulties, you might want to consult with a therapist or church minister since such issues fall outside the area of our professional services.

Sincerely yours,

Dr. Linda Bayer

Executive Director

Washington Internship Program

Electa

Upper Marlboro, Maryland

U.S.A.