One business cycled through 17 interns without providing one with employment, another rostered interns to work for double the amount of time legally allowed, and a third forced an intern to work for 60 hours a fortnight.

Responses to questions on notice at Senate estimates show a few employers are taking advantage of the Morrison government’s trademark youth unemployment initiative, Youth Jobs PaTH.

Cafes have been among the biggest employers under the program. Credit:Jessica Shapiro

Taxpayers forked out more than $2.5 million on advertising for the program in 2017-18, despite the "PaTH" platform signing up just 20 per cent of the businesses needed to hit its target.

The $840 million program is struggling to keep up with its aim of getting 120,000 vulnerable Australians into job placements over four years.