Another Record Apprentice Intake!

Our responsible business and sustainable growth strategy is firmly focused on recruiting and developing young adults into the business either from school or university.

Despite economic uncertainty, in the last two years we have recruited record numbers of trainees into the firm, and in September 2022 have just welcomed another cohort made up of 60 graduates and school leavers, taking our headcount to over 460.

All trainees pursue qualifications from the Institution of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW). 
 

We are proud to be ranked 14th in the Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers in the UK. Co-developed by the Department for Education, the national league table recognises leading apprenticeship employers for their overall commitment to employing apprentices, their creation of new apprenticeships, the diversity of their new apprentices, and the progression of their apprentices onto further apprenticeships and employment.

We have also recently won the Investing in People award at the Accounting Excellence Awards.  

We believe that our school leaver programme, ‘Launch Pad,’ is unique in that we enrol school leavers directly onto a level 7 apprenticeship and give them the opportunity to gain a milestone qualification after two years to recognise their progress and achievements so far.

It also forms part of our social mobility strategy which this year welcomed 16 work experience students into our Bristol and Plymouth offices, having partnered with schools to provide career advice and work experience placements. 
 

The students came from a wide range of schools and backgrounds and were provided with coaching from senior partners at Bishop Fleming, giving them the opportunity to gain insight into a career in accountancy. During their week with us, the students also took part in multiple workshops and visited several clients.  

Over the last two years, we have been partnering on the Strive Black Internship programme which seeks to better enable opportunities into our business for black candidates. 

Ria Burridge, Partner and Inclusion and Diversity Lead at Bishop Fleming said:

“Everyone needs to feel equally involved, supported and welcome, regardless of who they are and what role they do. Inclusion and diversity is extremely important to us and we want people from all backgrounds to have the opportunity to develop a career in accountancy. Giving these opportunities to gain work experience with a Top 30 firm, is vital to helping their future.” 

Since 2020 the firm has proudly held the status of ‘Partner in Learning’ with the ICAEW enabling us to be an accredited apprenticeship provider with ‘Platinum’ approval for Training and Development for the ACA.

We are one of very few accountancy firms who has taken this step of becoming an employer-provider. It enables us to provide learning that is bespoke and gives our learners access to real clients and businesses throughout their apprenticeship.  

Indeed, in 2022 we were shortlisted as a finalist for the Best Apprenticeship Scheme in the prestigious CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development) People Management Awards. 

If you are interested in applying to our next Apprenticeship intake, please visit our Career Site by clicking here.