Southampton: BDO recruits record number of trainees

Accountancy and business advisory firm BDO is set to recruit a record number of new trainees in Southampton next year.

Applications are now open for 25 new roles which will be based in the firm’s Southampton office and split across four key programmes: graduate, apprenticeship, summer school and summer intern.

The majority of both apprentice and graduate trainees are able to undertake a level-7 apprenticeship programme - a qualification equivalent to a master’s degree.

This news comes just months after it was announced that a third of BDO’s regional workforce had been promoted in the past three years.

Malcolm Thixton, partner and head of BDO LLP in Southampton, said: “We are really pleased to announce our plans to recruit a record number of new trainees for 2020, demonstrating our ongoing commitment of investing in people. We’re proud to attract dynamic and forward-thinking trainees who share our ambitions and will become ‘advisers of the future’.

“The most rewarding part of my role is seeing our people succeed in their own careers and thriving in our dynamic and supportive culture.

“The accountancy profession has long been an advocate of apprenticeships. BDO wants to see the government continue to support this route into work to increase the number and quality of apprenticeship places on offer - this in turn will help address the UK skills and productivity gap.”

BDO recently announced its annual revenues and profit had increased by a quarter to £578 million and £134m respectively. In the past six months 400 trainees and eight new partners have joined the firm.