Internships: A first step to employment for young people in Ecuador

Internships are emerging as a vital first step into the professional world for young people in Ecuador, offering them the chance to gain practical experience before securing formal employment. This pathway is particularly significant in a labor market where individuals aged 18 to 29 constituted 50.16% of all new employment contracts registered in the first half of 2026.

According to data from the Unified Labor System (SUT), 384,773 new employment contracts were established between January and June 2026. Of these, a substantial 193,007 were for young people between 18 and 29 years old. This highlights the critical role of early career opportunities for this age group, with sectors like agriculture, commerce, manufacturing, and hospitality showing the highest rates of new hiring.

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The Internship Law has primarily encouraged the integration of students and the creation of training spaces within companies.

Vanessa Velásquez, a labor law specialist, explains that Ecuador's Internship Law aims to foster student integration and create training opportunities within companies. However, she emphasizes that these internships are legally distinct from subsequent employment contracts. They serve as an introductory phase, allowing students to understand a company's daily operations and build professional experience.

While these internships are crucial for building a resume, they are not a substitute for formal employment. The data on new contracts indicates the volume of new hires, but indicators from the National Survey of Employment, Unemployment, and Underemployment (Enemdu) are needed to assess the quality of these jobs. In May 2026, the adequate employment rate for individuals aged 18 to 29 stood at 34.6%, underscoring the ongoing challenges in securing high-quality positions even after gaining initial experience.

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Its scope, however, must be distinguished from subsequent labor hiring.