Helping shape new horizons for young black professionals

Crowe, a leading national audit, tax, advisory and risk firm, welcomes a new cohort of 10 interns as part of its commitment to support the UK-wide programme to get 10,000 young black people into paid internships.

The 10,000 Intern Foundation (10kIF), which began as a UK-wide trial in 2020,offers those from underrepresented groups a flying start at building their career.

The 10kIF intern programme gives young black people the opportunity to receive a minimum six-weeks paid employment with the UK’s leading advisor firm, helping kickstart their career at Crowe or develop new skills to support their future in a profession in another sector. Each intern at the firm is supported by a dedicated mentor to guide and support their development.

This year’s cohort join colleagues in Crowe’s London office and its UK-wide regional locations. The firm welcomes Abdalla Abullahi (Midlands), Ayah Hemmid (London), Elliot Tshiango (London), Imuetinyan Aletor (Reading), Joseph-Junior Karikari (Manchester), Kirsten Jong (Reading), Latanya Simmonds (Cheltenham), Mckinley Chibambo (Kent), Sofia Mohamed (Midlands) and Stephen Annan Jr (London) to Crowe – meet them in their introductory video here.

The experience could also lead to a full-time position as Crowe employed two successful interns following the firm’s inaugural participation in the programme last year.

Crowe UK joins 700 other participating professional firms, multinational corporations, ambitious startups, and public bodies across finance, technology, advertising and over 25 other sectors in offering opportunities for young black people.

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.”

 

Imuetinyan Aletor, 10kIF Intern at Crowe’s Reading office, 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.

“I believe interning with Crowe will allow me to explore different roles in the professional services industry and thus gain clarity about my career goals. This internship will also provide a platform to refine relevant skills that will aid my development - it’s an ideal fit for my career aspirations!”

A representative from the 10,000 Interns Foundation, said:

"The 10,000 Interns Foundation’s mission is to champion underrepresented talent. With their growing series of programmes, the team connect students and graduates with paid internship opportunities in over 25 UK sectors.

“Beginning as 100 Black Interns, the programme was developed in early 2020 to address the racial gap in Investment Management leadership positions. With support from multiple industries, it quickly grew to become 10,000 Black Interns.

“In 2022, 10,000 Able Interns was launched to support disabled talent with similar internship opportunities. With the data and stories from the programmes, the 10,000 Interns Foundation advocates for change that embeds inclusivity in UK work culture.”

Azeem Zafar, Partner, Global Business Solutions team at Crowe, said:

“At Crowe we strive to create a truly inclusive organisation and to celebrate the benefits that having a diverse team brings us. We understand the importance of celebrating and supporting everyone regardless of their race, ethnicity or the cultural heritage.

“We recognise that there is still more we can do and that’s why we are so proud to be partnering with 10kIF, giving us the opportunity to help transform the horizons and prospects of young black people. We’re offering them a paid experience to develop new skills and help lay-down the foundations of a potential new and exciting career path.

“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.”

Crowe’s aim is to create a community where, regardless of gender, identity, sexuality, race, ethnicity, education or background, everyone is valued and has the opportunity to flourish and to achieve their full potential.

The firm aims to foster a culture of respect, where its people support each other and clients, are listened to and can develop their knowledge and awareness of each other’s differences. Crowe encourages celebration and promotion of the diversity within its teams and the benefits that this brings to the firm and to individuals.

Crowe is a place where everyone can bring their whole selves to work.