National recognition for Bishop Fleming apprenticeship programme

Leading Accounting, Audit, Tax and Advisory firm Bishop Fleming has been recognised among some of the largest organisations in the UK for its apprenticeship programme. 

The firm has been ranked 14th in the Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers list for 2022, which seeks to showcase the very best apprenticeship programmes over the previous twelve months.

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.

Partner and People Director Anna Averis said:

"We are delighted to receive this recognition for our leading apprenticeship programme which is now among the very best in our sector. As one of only a few accounting firms to have been awarded Employer-Provider status, we are able to develop and deliver our own tailored apprenticeship programme. This is now delivering real results and is integral to our wider growth ambition.”

The firm recruited a record 64 apprentices in 2021 and is on track to appoint a further 60 to 70 this autumn, taking the total number of apprentices who have embarked on the programme to over 170 since it was started three years ago. Having posted record fee growth of 19% in 2021-2022, Bishop Fleming expects its overall headcount grow to 500 this year.

Bishop Fleming’s scheme includes a rotation-based programme, enabling some apprentices to experience all areas of the business whilst others develop a deeper specialism in one area, supplemented with coaching, mentoring and study leave.

Anna added: “As a responsible business, our scheme, together with our support for initiatives like the Strive black internship programme, is focused on achieving greater diversity in our workforce. And through our social mobility strategy, we are improving the many routes available into a career in our business to as many young people as possible.”

The ranking tops a string of recent award shortlistings, including Best Apprenticeship Scheme in the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development's forthcoming prestigious People Management Awards.

In June, the firm was shortlisted for the Bristol and Bath Live Apprenticeship Awards and in the autumn will learn if it has won the Investing in People award at the Accounting Excellence awards in London. 

Andrew Sandiford, Managing Partner said:

"To be recognised alongside some major employers in the country such as the British Army, BT and the Royal Air Force is a fantastic achievement for our business.

We are committed to attracting the very best talent and the future leaders of our business, and I am particularly pleased that our scheme now offers a variety of routes into a rewarding career in accounting. We are shortly to looking to finalise our 2022 intake, but we encourage any candidates who are interested in our programme to find out more."