EDUCATION
AZETS TARGETS 1,000 APPRENTICES IN 2022
UK TOP 10 ACCOUNTANCY FIRM TO RECRUIT 350 NEW GRADUATES AND SCHOOL LEAVERS – 207 IN THE SOUTH OF ENGLAND
Azets , the UK ’ s largest regional accountancy firm and business advisor to SMEs , with several offices in Kent , has announced plans to recruit an additional 350 new graduates and school leavers as it targets a total of 1,000 apprentices in 2022 . 207 of the new recruits will be in the South of England .
The UK Top 10 accountancy firm currently has 612 apprentices across England , with 174 students having joined the business in August 2021 . Azets is now recruiting another 350 students and expects to reach the 1,000 milestone by the end of this year .
Investing in the next generation of talent is a key strategy for Azets , as it looks to further expand its offering and continue to deliver a high-quality service to SME businesses across the UK . In January 2022 , the firm ’ s current student cohort achieved a 95 % first-time pass rate in ICAEW , ICAS and ACCA exams .
Azets ’ latest graduate recruitment drive is part of a wider initiative which includes 650 new jobs this year , as the firm accelerates its strategy to increase revenue by 50 % in the next five years . The new student intake will be spread across Azets ’ 85 UK offices , the largest UK network of local accounting and business advisory offices .
As part of this growth drive , Azets has made a multimillion-pound investment in a fully digitised , mobile-enabled , hybrid working environment . This enables staff more choice and the flexibility and encouragement to work from anywhere , as they are fully provided with the infrastructure and systems to support the workplace transformation .
Paul Clifford , a regional CEO at Azets who started his career as an apprentice at a small firm in the Midlands , said :
“ I left school at 18 not knowing what career path to take , like many people at that age . I was fortunate to be given an apprenticeship which provided me with training , qualifications , and experience . I qualified with ACCA at 21 before joining Azets as a partner to run a newly acquired office . Since then , I have set up a business development department , run several successful offices , assisted with a number of new acquisitions , and been appointed regional
CEO , with responsibility for over 300 people and 13 offices .
“ Azets ’ position in the accountancy market , as a specialist advisor to SMEs , offers a unique insight to accountancy that no other firm can offer . An apprenticeship at Azets could take talented young advisors into any industry or client type , as well as into all the diverse areas accountancy in the modern world covers .”
Gracie Kemp , assistant – Accounts & Business Advisory Services ( ABAS ), who joined Azets as a student in 2019 said :
“ I started at Azets over two years ago after finishing my A-levels . In that time , I ’ ve had one promotion , taken eight exams , made friends for life and learnt a vast amount about the accounting world . I started off doing a variety of small to technical tasks and learnt my way around new systems and meeting clients face-to-face . My role in the ABAS team involves preparing year-end accounts , management accounts , VAT returns and tax returns .
160