By her own admission, Autumn Kimborough, 17, didn't have a passion for accounting. But the rising high school senior from Flossmoor, Illinois, heard about a well-paid summer internship at KPMG, which included a $250 clothing stipend, and got excited.
For the first time, the Big Four accounting firm organized a three-week session geared toward high schoolers with the specific goal of encouraging younger adults to consider a career in the field, according to Jennifer Flynn, KPMG's community impact lead.
Nearly 200 teenagers are participating in the summer internship program, which pays $20 or $22 an hour plus clothing and transportation stipends and meals, and includes a business etiquette class, among other skill-building tools.
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Students are also paired with mentors who track their progress. "We wanted to make sure our interns are getting a really full experience," Flynn said.
"I had some preconceived notions that it's sitting at a desk," Kimborough said, about being a CPA. "Now I've learned that with accounting you can travel and meet people and that drew me in."