This summer we proudly supported the 10,000 Black Interns programme – an initiative which aims to improve social mobility, through offering young black people with a 6-week paid internship in a sector of their interest.

To celebrate Black History Month, Jess in our Employer Brand team caught up with Glory Olubori, our former Diversity & Inclusion Intern, to find out about her experience as an intern at Currys.

Jess: Glory, it’s lovely to meet you! I’ve heard you have recently graduated. Which University did you go to and what did you study?

Glory: I graduated in September with a MA Occupational Psychology from University of Liverpool! I’m actually looking into doing another masters next year to further develop my knowledge and skills in psychology.

Jess: Amazing, I studied Psychology at University too! Though I admire your dedication, as I stopped after my 3-year BSc Psychology degree! So you were an intern with us this summer – how did you hear about the 10,000 Black Interns programme?

Glory: I received an email from my University about the opportunity, and the rest is history! I’m so glad I applied for the internship, it’s been really great for my CV. I’m currently applying for jobs, the experience I gained during my internship is definitely helping to set me apart from others.

Jess: Why Currys – what attracted you to the internship here?

Glory: One of the things that really attracted me to this internship was that there was huge relevance to my degree, in Occupational Psychology, and interests in diversity and inclusion. I was fortunate enough to meet an Occupational Psychologist who works in close partnership with Currys.

Currys is also a really strong household brand name, and this is one of the other things that attracted me to the role. One thing I loved about Currys was their approach to hybrid working - by travelling to the office just once a fortnight it provided me with flexibility so that I could balance my work and home life.

Jess: What was your initial impression of Currys? And, did this change over the time you were with us?

Glory: My first impression was really positive, and this only got better as my internship progressed.

My manager, Haylie Robinson, recommended that I came into the office on my first day and having this face-to-face interaction from the offset really helped me to embed in the business. Haylie provided me with a slide deck which laid out my roles and responsibilities and what I’d be working on for the 8-week period – this helped me understand what was expected of me during my internship.

Haylie also provided me with a company structure and set up introductory meetings with leaders in the business, such as Sharon Murray and Melissa Hungerford. This was brilliant for my career development as I was able to learn about their career paths which gave me inspiration for my own.

One of the real highlights for me was that I was able to shape my internship around my interests, whilst still ensuring I was meeting the business’ needs. My team provided me with a variety of projects to choose from – and I was grateful for this.

I had a really supportive line manager in Haylie, she checked in with me on a daily basis and coached me throughout my internship – ensuring that I was able to get involved in new opportunities. I couldn’t have asked for a better working environment.

Jess: I know you’re busy applying for jobs at the moment, so I’m sure your CV is fresh in your mind! What skills did you develop during your internship that you’re most proud of?

Glory: I had the opportunity to deliver a presentation mid-way through my internship, engaging senior leaders in the People team on the two projects that I was responsible for. This enabled me to develop my presentation and public speaking skills.

I was also able to develop my analytical skills, through the research project I supported with – where I reviewed comments within the Glint surveys.

Jess: So, moving on to inclusion and diversity. This month is Black History Month. What does Black History Month mean to you? And, do you have any traditions that you’d like to share?

Glory: Black History Month is a time where people are able to celebrate their heritage. Where you come from is always going to be a part of you, so it’s nice to be able to celebrate that. To celebrate my culture, my family and I sometimes go to Nigerian restaurants, but my dad is a great cook and two of his traditional dishes are Jollof Rice and Amala.

My perspective is quite different from other people as I am an immigrant. I’m 24 years old now and I moved to the UK – so I’ve lived here for 13 years. I’m very close to my culture, as I’ve had the best of both living in Nigeria and in the UK.

Truthfully, Black History Month is just a part of my day-to-day life. I’m very in touch with my heritage and culture – so for me, I celebrate being Nigerian every day.

Jess: What are your hopes for the future?

Glory: To make everyone, regardless of their background, feel like they belong in an organisation. I proactively try to learn about other people, through active listening. I’m passionate about removing the stigma attached to mental health – so I’d like to find a role where I can champion diversity and inclusion and also mental health.