Introducing the HMRC / Accenture SuperSquad
What is a SuperSquad?
A practical, paid work experience programme where teens engage with real business and societal challenges.
This challenge brought together the expertise from the private and public sector with HMRC guiding the young people through the world of tax, and Accenture inspiring them to think about emerging technologies.
Over the 6 weeks, the Squad came up with 1,000 ideas, ranging from AI-based financial management apps to educational campaigns and cash detection tech. This reflects a key principle of a SuperSquad; allowing space for the most diverse set of ideas to drive true innovation.
“As part of a modern civil service, we want a workforce which is skilled, innovative and ambitious, which aligns really well to the ethos of Startup Sherpas. HMRC is really excited to be supporting this initiative” says Bronagh Healey, Cyber Skills Manager at HMRC.
NEWSFLASH - Young people find tax interesting!!
During the programme, the Squad learnt about different types of tax, the social contract that brings and how some people fall (unwittingly or deliberately) into the hidden economy. They even had the opportunity to grill the Fraud Investigation Team from HMRC on a call!
The results speak for themselves:
– 69.4% feel confident in being able to explain the UK tax system to their peers (7+ out of a scale of 1 to 9)
– 16.1% strongly see HMRC as a future employer (7+ out of a scale of 1 to 9)
– 96.4% felt that schools / colleges need to teach more about Tax
“This opportunity has really made me sit down and think and I’m loving it!” “I’m considering a career in accounting so might now consider HMRC as an employer” “Seeing how a job in tax really works definitely appeals to me” “Maybe I might not be an accountant or a tax investigator but I want to be on the tech side of things!”
True Impact:
Confidence, careers and cash £££
100 students took part in the SuperSquad and earned on average £126.72. None of the Squad members have offshore bank accounts and therefore all of this money is going into the UK’s teenage economy, £12k in total. This is trickle-up economics in action.
This money not only boosts young people’s confidence by being their first pay packet but in many cases takes a bit of pressure off families during the cost-of-living crisis.
All Squad members also receive a reference to put on their CV and the opportunity to join the Startup Sherpas entrepreneurship programme.
Want to know more about Startup Sherpas
In partnership with...
With students selected from...
Moat Community College, Leicester
Bodmin College, Cornwall
Sandwell Academy, West Bromwich
Judgemeadow College, Leicester
Montpelier High School, Bristol
Park Hall Academy, Birmingham
Garforth Academy, Leeds
Chase High School, Southend on Sea
Glenthorne High School, Surrey
Rishworth School, Calderdale
Guiseley School, Leeds
Clapton Girls’ Academy, London