[Leica] Leica donation to students

[phong at doan-ltd.com (Phong)]

Karen Nakamura wrote:
> >The intern as a part-time administrator of this program is a great idea.
> >Maybe Leica could even pay the intern partly in gear, partly cash!
> 
> I know, why doesn't Leica hire interns to run everything! Then they 
> wouldn't have to pay any of those expensive wages and we'd all be 
> much happier! In fact, if the whole factory was run by interns, then 
> I bet they could pop out those digital backs for $250 each!
> 
> I'm against the use of unpaid or underpaid interns. They're a 
> terrible idea for humankind.  It just creates more exploitation of 
> people under the guise of "experience." I'm seeing a bad trend in 
> america among my undergrads.

When I was in school, I would gladly go
and work as an intern for no pay
(pay of course is better) for the experience.
Unfortunately, very few companies offer(ed)
meaningful internship experience.   But they
do exist;  the experience vary considerably
even within the same organizations
in the same company

For 4 years I was Director of software of development
at one Motorola division, and was quite involved with
setting internship programs both in the US and overseas.
Motorola pays their interns fairly well (they also have
scholarship programs where you don't get paid as much,
but your project is sponsored by Motorola; however,
the intellectual property remains yours).  Unfortunately,
it takes a lot (money and dedication) to make an internship
program work.  Anyway, getting involved with the intership 
program was one of the most satisfying experience at 
Motorola for me.  I love giving away somebody else's 
money.  :-)

Bringing it a little bit closer to home, and photography,
it's a little bit like being an assistant to an established
photographer.  From what I can see locally, assistants
are really ripped off (low/no wage for cheap, meaningless
labor).  But I can also have friends who have formed
a long-term relationship with the photographers they have
assisted.   Hey Ted, how many years did Sandy have to
fill your scotch glass and load your dung infested M's for
a pittance before you let her shoot ?   :-)

All in all though, I think the interns systems (even with low
paid) is a good idea.  I think though the idea of Leica
using an intern is bad, worse so if it is meant as a cost saving
device.  B.D. was just out of his mind.   :-)

- Phong