It does appear that a lot of employers are dependent on younger employees interning before hiring them.

A few of my peers are working for the same company; the ones that interned have quickly advanced in pay and position, and the ones that did not have felt stifled and have not had a position change. The only difference between them is a few years of age.

As someone who is looking around at the same companies, I can say it's affected my decision to apply and accept offers.