Celebrated the last Thursday of the month, July 27 is National Intern Day.

Started in 2017 as a way to is recognize and celebrate the future leaders of the world, this week KPMG LLP held a discussion for 20 interns from New Jersey and New York to explore potential career paths and offer advice.

The KMPG U.S. Empower High School Experience is a three-week paid internship with more than 180 high school juniors and seniors participating across 11 markets nationwide. Locally, 18 students are in the New York area and two are from New Jersey.

According to the Big Four accounting firm:

• Nearly 500 professionals serve as coaches, mentors, facilitators and volunteers, allowing participants to explore different paths, develop new skills and build a professional network.
• Including hourly pay, clothing and transportation stipends, among other things, KMPG is making an approximately $7,000 investment per student over the length of the program; students are paid up to $22 per hour, depending on the market.
• Hybrid work options are available, allowing students to Flex with Purpose, working in the office as well as from home.

“KPMG’s High School Empower Program provides an excellent sense of being in a corporate setting, with actual hands-on experience,” said Jason Miretskiy, an intern and rising senior at Colts Neck High School. “This internship provides important experience for me because I’m planning to pursue an education and subsequent career in business.”

The Empower High School Experience launched this year as part of KPMG U.S.’s Accelerate 2025 plan, a long-term strategy and commitment to DEI.