Crowe backs inclusive internship scheme to boost diversity

23 June 2023 Consultancy.uk

As professional services firm Crowe looks to improve inclusivity at the company, it has welcomed 10 Black interns. The paid positions are part of the consulting and accounting firm’s commitment toward the 10,000 Interns Foundation.

Founded in 2020, the 10,000 Interns Foundation is an initiative seeking to boost the inclusion of Black workers in the finance, law and professional service sectors. To make this a reality, the project supports the creation of internships only open to Black applicants in those industries where they have traditionally been underrepresented.

The 10,000 Interns project has won widespread support from private and public sector leaders, including former Prime Minister David Cameron. Among those supporters is Crowe, a national audit, tax, advisory and risk firm.

Crowe backs inclusive internship scheme to boost diversity

As part of the firm’s commitment to the cause, alongside 700 other participating professional firms, multinational corporations, ambitious startups, and public bodies, Crowe has welcomed a cohort of 10 interns.

Nigel Bostock, Chief Executive of Crowe, said, “At Crowe we care about our people, being inclusive and providing opportunity for all. It was an absolute pleasure to have the chance to meet and spend time them and provide insight on Crowe with a great question and answer session as part of the Intern induction programme. I wish them every success during their time with Crowe.”

This year’s cohort join colleagues in Crowe’s London office and its UK-wide regional locations, taking up the paid internships for six weeks. The successful applicants for the roles are Midlands-based Abdalla Abullahi and Sofia Mohamed; London-based Ayah Hemmid, Elliot Tshinago and Stephen Annan; Reading’s Imuetinyan Aletor and Kirsten Jong; Manchester’s Joseph Junior; Cheltenham’s Latanya Simmonds; and Kent-based Mckinley Chibambo.

Speaking on the opportunity, new intern Imuetinyan Aletor said, “After discovering the programme from friends, I was captivated by the opportunity it presented to gain hands-on experience in an industry of interest while actively supporting an underrepresented community. I think initiatives such as the 10,000 black interns programme holds significant value in addressing the under representation of individuals from ethnic backgrounds in corporate and professional service jobs by promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace.”

Their experiences could also lead to a full-time position. Illustrating this, Crowe employed two successful interns following the firm’s inaugural participation in the 10,000 interns programme in 2022.

Azeem Zafar, Partner at Crowe, added, “At Crowe we strive to create a truly inclusive organisation and to celebrate the benefits that having a diverse team brings us. Last year’s interns were a great success and so this year, we are delighted to continue our partnership and welcome a new cohort joining our UK teams for the next six weeks.”

Following the success of what was initially the ‘100 Black interns’ programme, rapid uptake has seen the project take on its present form of ’10,000 Black interns’. Looking ahead, the 10,000 Interns Foundation is also looking to use its platform to help other marginalised demographics gain a foothold in professional services. In 2022, for example, the 10,000 Interns Foundation used its data and experience to launch 10,000 Able interns, to support disabled talent with similar internship opportunities.

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