WITH many graduates beginning internships to gain experience with potential employers, Exeter-based employment specialist the HR Dept has joined calls for the introduction of a new 'training wage'.

Research by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) found over a third of internships are currently unpaid. The CIPD is now calling for a £2.50 per hour guaranteed minimum training wage.

Belinda Newton, director of the HR Dept Exeter, which advises small and medium sized businesses on employment and HR issues, said the move does not go far enough.

"We believe the minimum wage should mean the minimum amount an employee is paid, whether they are gaining experience or not," she said.