Here’s a good one. A partner at a major law firm in London recently ‘sold’ a work placement position for £1,150 at a charity auction. This was despite the fact that the firm has a policy on social mobility and equal opportunities.

Is this a one off case? No. The trend of putting a monetary value on work experience is not uncommon. News from Notting Hill is that quite a few investment banks and such like regularly ‘sell’ work experience slots at charity auctions, with the result that the children of the said same lawyers, bankers and so on can effectively buy a good bio – no aptitude or skills required.