Controversial new 'pay-to-learn' service offers hope for job seekers.
Wedding planners, graphic designers, and advertising agencies are just three of the many businesses now offering training on a new site, Etsio.com.
But unlike traditional internships, the Assisterns, as Etsio calls them, pay the employer for on-the-job training.
And Etsio boss Kit Sadgrove is urging businesses to sign up to his site because of the demand he's seeing.
The Assisterns gain knowledge and information on their chosen world of work from small businesses who spend time showing them the skills they need.
"We have lots of people who are hungry to get information and skills in their chosen careers," said Etsio boss Kit Sadgrove. "But with the current high unemployment figures, people are often competing with hundreds of other applicants for one job. Many don't stand a chance without relevant experience.
"This is a way of helping people get their first step on the ladder. And it encourages small businesses to take on an intern for a few days. If the intern does well, the company may even offer them a position."
He added: "I'm getting rung up by people who want to take their first steps on a particular career path, but don't know how to get started. No one is recruiting, so no one gets a chance. This is the ideal time for business owners to look at the wealth of talent that is out there."
There's no fee for employers to join; and they can set their own daily fee. Some companies make no charge for the training.
The site is attracting controversy from those who believe that it's wrong for people to pay for work experience. But Sadgrove said: "How else can people get on the ladder? With the recession, no one is taking on staff.
"Anyone who's determined to get work experience will see this as a unique opportunity.
"And if you've spent £40,000 on a university degree, which is what it costs, a few hundred quid to get experience is a good investment."
Whereas at an ordinary internship, an intern would normally perform routine tasks like filing, an Etsio Assistern gets a short term, high-impact placement, usually next to the business owner.
