Grant Thornton welcomes 27 new starters at South West team

Business and financial advisory giant Grant Thornton UK LLP said 27 new starters had joined its south west team this year, marking a 25% increase from last year, when 21 started at its Bristol office.

They are part of a nathttps://westwayit.co.uk/ional intake of 300 trainees and two of this year’s South West new cohort are school leavers, joining straight from A-Levels.

In a recent survey it carried out, Grant Thornton noted that of 2,000 parents with children aged 12-21 and 2,000 young people aged 16-21, it found that parents are more likely to encourage their child to apply for a school leaver apprenticeship (44%) than for university (40%).

The survey also found that the percentage of parents who perceive school leaver apprenticeships as providing good career prospects has risen from 79% in 2018, to 84% in 2024, while 73% of young people also believe that school leaver apprenticeships offer good prospects.

"We're delighted to welcome such a large and diverse group of talented individuals to our South West team," said Lauren Carlyle, practice leader for Grant Thornton UK LLP in the South West.

"We know that it’s important to develop multifaceted and inclusive teams and as such we actively hire both graduates and school leaver apprentices and have long championed the benefits of both.

"Personally, I entered the accountancy industry as a school leaver and found that it allowed me to get to grips with the sector much earlier than if I had gone to university and gain much more experience earlier on in my career.

"So, it’s great to welcome several people who have opted for this route out of their A-Levels.

"The significant expansion of our Public Sector Audit team, along with the strengthening of our Private Capital and Transaction Advisory Services, demonstrates our commitment to supporting the region’s dynamic and innovative businesses with the advice and expertise they require," she added.