College Works Painting: A Scam Disguising Itself as a Dream Internship

University of Wisconsin students may be lured in by promises of making up to $10,000 in a summer internship with College Works Painting, but behind the scenes, the company has been accused of unethical business practices and exploiting students. A representative for the company, known as Summer Management Program, told a student that College Works would arrange a line of credit to supply equipment for interns, which may raise red flags under the university's policies for employers recruiting on campus. Despite this, the company has been able to conduct business on campus without being reviewed and approved by career services.

Key Takeaways:

College Works Painting, operating under the name Summer Management Program, claims to offer a dream internship where students can earn up to $10,000 in a summer.
The company requires students to pay out of pocket for equipment, despite promising to arrange a line of credit.
College Works has been accused of misrepresenting the amount of work involved in the internship, with students reporting 70-hour weeks and a split of only 60% of profits for themselves.
The company has been reported to be a pyramid scheme by many, with a representative shrugging off concerns about the line of credit by saying it was easy to pay off.
Former interns have spoken out about the company's unsavory practices, including being paid less than promised and being instructed to apply only one coat of paint to two-coat customers.
College Works has been using University of Wisconsin facilities, including the Capital Cafe in Grainger Hall, without being reviewed or approved by career services.
The company's values, as stated on their website, include "Work Hard, Play Hard, Have Fun!", which may be seen as ironic given the allegations against them.
Recruiting Coordinator Greg Iaccarino from Letters and Sciences Career Services said that a line of credit requires review and would be a red flag for the university's policies.

Statistics:

70 hours per week: The amount of time former interns reported working for College Works.
40%: The percentage of profits that go to College Works from each intern.
60%: The percentage of profits left for interns to pay back the line of credit, pay their employees, and pay for equipment.
20+ hours per week: The amount of time interns spend in the spring semester training and planning for the summer.
$12 - $15 per hour: The range of hourly pay promised to students for the crew chief position.
$10 per hour: The actual hourly pay for former intern Doug Neu when he worked as a painter.

Sources:

College Works Painting's pamphlet and website
An interview with Recruiting Coordinator Greg Iaccarino from Letters and Sciences Career Services
Former intern Doug Neu
University of Wisconsin's policies for employers recruiting on campus