By the time I found out this was unpaid I was too deep in the program to get my money back. I do want to continue on into this career field, so I stayed. My brother got a second job and we used my tax return to cover the bills.
I have to fill 180 hours in six weeks. 180 hours when I've always been paycheck to paycheck. We took a loan to move here, the alternative was being homeless, and I had to take out a personal loan to cover the tuition student loans wouldn't cover. Took out a credit card a few years ago for emergencies and to help build credit, it's always been at the top of it's limit since. Took out a Petco credit card to help pay for the pets food, put that at it's limit and haven't been able to do more than the minimum monthly payments since. We're trying so hard to get things paid down, and I wanted this program to be able to raise my earning potential.
I'm halfway through the externship and had to be out for most of the week due to being sick. I tried to come in one day anyway, they sent me home for the next two. The manager said she would sign off on my hours anyway after I explained that I can't afford the time off and I can't afford to extend this thing another week. I have to go back to paid work.
Today she sent me my time card today and it did not have the hours on there that she promised. I'll have to work 10 hour shifts for the test of the time to make sure I get my hours and now I can't trust that she'll put down what she says she will.
The worst part is that I'm not getting the experience I was promised. I've been sitting in the office unsupervised for 98% of my time. I've taken it up on myself to use the time to study for my certification exam.
I would not be stressing so hard about this if I was being paid even minimum wage right now. I don't understand how unpaid anything is still a thing in 2022. Fuck unpaid internships. I did not pay so much for this fucking program for my graduation to come down to an unpaid externship. I made the fucking dean's list for fuck's sake! I should be able to just graduate!