In an effort to increase the representation of African Americans and Latinos within the financial services sector, the Financial Services Pipeline (FSP) Initiative brought together more than 100 interns at the fourth annual Intern Career Conference. Interns learned about the diverse careers and roles available in financial services during panel discussions and networking events. The FSP Intern Career Conference was held on Thursday, July 13 at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.

The event served as a platform to highlight FSP’s mission to address racial diversity and cultural competency within the Chicago area’s financial services sector by developing a pipeline of diverse talent. According to a study conducted by FSP, along with Mercer, the number of African Americans and Latinos in the financial sector is projected to drastically decline within five years if no action is taken to change the approach on hiring and retention. The conference was targeted to interns in the early stages of their career development to help guide them and introduce them to a long-term career in the Financial Services industry.

Interns are employed by FSP member firms where they are exposed to diverse careers in the Financial Services industry, such as investments, accounting, business development, technology, consulting, and management, among others. Throughout the internship, industry leaders will educate and inspire the next generation of financial services front-runners, but also provide young talent with a platform to share their ideas and expectations with seasoned professionals.

Visit fspchicago.org for more information!