º£½ÇÊÓƵ

Accountancy firm Crowe has welcomed two new interns to its Birmingham office. Sofia Mohamed and Abdalla Abullahi join as part of a new cohort of ten interns to support a º£½ÇÊÓƵ-wide programme to get 10,000 young black people into paid internships.

Called 10,000 Intern Foundation (10kIF), it began as a º£½ÇÊÓƵ-wide trial in 2020 and offers those from underrepresented groups a start at building their careers.

The programme gives young black people the opportunity to receive a minimum six-weeks of paid employment, helping them to kickstart a career at Crowe or develop new skills to support a profession in another sector.

Each intern at the firm is supported by a dedicated mentor. This year's cohort join colleagues in Crowe's other regional offices in Kent, Cheltenham, Manchester, Reading and London.

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.

Around 700 businesses and public sector bodies of all shapes and sizes take part in the programme.

Johnathan Dudley, head of manufacturing and managing partner for Midlands and South at Crowe º£½ÇÊÓƵ, said: "Crowe is committed to uncovering talent and creating new horizons for under-represented people, no matter what their background, ethnicity or where they are from, because we want to provide opportunity to all who subscribe to our values.

"We are proud to be partnering with and promoting the 10,000 Interns programme for another year because helping change a societal mindset is a mammoth task and requires positive action from all quarters, to break down unnecessary barriers for everyone.

"We're delighted to welcome Sofia and Abdalla to our team as part of this year's cohort of ten interns across Crowe's º£½ÇÊÓƵ business and look forward to helping shape and support their future."