Persons in Unpaid Trainee Work

Persons in unpaid trainee work are defined as all those of working age who, during a short reference period, performed any unpaid activity to produce goods or provide services for others, in order to acquire workplace experience or skills in a trade or profession. 

“Unpaid” is interpreted as the absence of remuneration in cash or in kind for work done or hours worked; nevertheless, these workers may receive some form of support, such as transfers of education stipends or grants, or occasional in cash or in kind support (e.g. a meal, drinks).

Production “for others” refers to work performed in market and non-market units that are owned by non-household or non-family members.

Acquiring “workplace experience or skills” may occur through traditional, formal or informal arrangements whether or not a specific qualification or certification is issued.

Included in unpaid trainee work are persons in:

• (a) traineeships, apprenticeships, internships or other types of programmes according to national circumstances, when their engagement in the production process of the economic unit is unpaid; and
• (b) unpaid skills training or retraining schemes within employment promotion programmes, when engaged in the production process of the economic unit.

• Excluded from unpaid trainee work:

• (a) periods of probation associated with the start of a job;
• (b) general on-the-job or lifelong learning while in employment, including in market and non-market units owned by household or family members;
• (c) orientation and learning while engaged in volunteer work;
• (d) learning while engaged in own-use production work.

Resolution I. Resolution concerning statistics of work, employment and labour underutilization, the 19 ICLS