Students in headscarves have trouble getting internships

Girls who wear headscarves have more trouble finding internships than other students, according to Knowledge Platform Integration and Society (KIS).

KIS did a study into internships for students attending vocational schools. All students in vocational schools have to complete an internship before receiving their diplomas.

Part of the internship companies believe that headscarves will not fit the image of their business, according to the study. Employers also have the prejudice that some students will be "risky" and come late often.

This discrimination seems to go mostly unnoticed, because students and internship mediators find ways to work around it. Mediators are also reluctant to start a confrontation with an internship company, because there is already a shortage in the number of internships in the country and they fear that companies will withdraw.

The extent of the discrimination seems to depend on the sector. According to the study, small and medium companies from the fashion industry are often named, while government agencies and civil society organizations are hardly mentioned.

The chance of rejection also appears to be smaller when a school takes a student to the company in person.