South: James Cowper commended with top award for apprenticeship training

Thames Valley accountants and business advisers James Cowper has been given a prestigious award for its apprenticeship and training programme.

West Berkshire Training Consortium, the Thames Valley’s leading body for coordinating and providing access to training funding, has awarded James Cowper its annual Investment in Training award.

In October last year, James Cowper recruited nine graduates and modern apprentices onto its student accountant training programme – the highest number for six years. The firm has since taken on a further two apprentices in its business support teams and is looking to recruit still further. Over the past decade the firm has recruited 120 trainees and apprentices.

Personnel manager Anne Millar said: “James Cowper has a long tradition of hiring apprentices and trainees at GCSE, A-Level and post degree qualifications. We take a great deal of pride in our approach to training, with many of our apprentices going on to achieve further professional qualifications and are delighted to have received this award."

Alexa Volker, business development coordinator at West Berkshire Training Consortium, said: “Our congratulations go to Anne and all of the apprentices the firm has taken on in recent years. James Cowper takes an exemplary approach to its training and this award is richly deserved.”

At the same time, James Cowper’s training accreditation with the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), the global professional body for chartered certified accountants, has been reconfirmed as platinum status – the highest possible.

The Institute of Chartered Accountants for England and Wales (ICAEW), the accountancy profession’s governing body, has also confirmed James Cowper’s training programme, giving it one of its coveted Employer Awards for its ACA chartered accountant qualification training programme.