As summer draws near, so does a new class of interns at H&R Block\u2019s Downtown Kansas City headquarters. Last week, nearly 30 interns were eagerly welcomed to \u201cEmbark,\u201d a new, robust 11-week internship program designed to create opportunities for diverse young professionals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Embark is organized by four pillars \u2013 Giveback, Professional Development, Social and Networking \u2013 to promote development and support H&R Block’s Connected Culture. These pillars are meant to foster personal and professional growth through workshops, mentorship, networking, relationship building, volunteering, community involvement, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve created a meaningful internship experience to help ensure that college students who choose to spend time at Block are ready to successfully embark on their post-graduate careers,\u201d said Tiffany Monroe, Chief People & Culture Officer for H&R Block. \u201cOne of the many exciting things about this summer\u2019s program is the diversity among our interns who represent Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and other schools with greater populations of Black, Indigenous, People of Color.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One measure of internship program success is welcoming returning students for more resume-building experience. H&R Block is excited to welcome back Tito Opawole, a University of Missouri student majoring in Information Technology, for a second year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI returned to Block because I don\u2019t think you can\u2019t get the same love from another company,\u201d said Opawole, Information Technology Intern. \u201cI\u2019m looking forward to learning about InfoSec, and more, given my career plans after college. And, thanks to Block, I know I\u2019ll be exposed to these opportunities.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Perhaps the most unique aspect of the reimagined internship program is the intentionality that\u2019s been put toward helping interns build strong bonds. According to Forbes Advisor<\/a>, 26% of employees name team-bonding activities as<\/a> their top fringe benefit, while 78% of employees say they\u2019re particularly motivated to work in person by seeing their work friends, according to Harvard Business Review<\/a>. At H&R Block, social experiences are offered throughout the summer to encourage lifelong connections with fellow interns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The social aspect goes even further with the addition of housing that has been provided to interns who are not Kansas City residents. This component was added to help the students focus on the internship and building relationships, absent the worry and cost of temporary housing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe housing aspect is one of the most important additions to the new program,\u201d Opawole said. \u201cIt\u2019s so nice to not have to worry about finding a place to stay, and I appreciate H&R Block for prioritizing this and creating an internship program that is about the whole student.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n H&R Block was recently named a Forbes Best Employer for New Graduates<\/a>, Best Employers for Diversity<\/a> and America\u2019s Best Large Employers<\/a>. For more information on careers at H&R Block, click here<\/a>. And be sure to \u201cmeet\u201d the new roster of Embark interns in the video below.
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