Full news item

School Leavers' Programme recognised at British Accountancy Awards

(8 December 2011)

(full article available on the taregetjobs.co.uk website)

For the second year running, professional services firm KPMG has been named ‘Global Firm of the Year’ at the British Accountancy Awards. The judges stated that KPMG had ‘come further and faster in the last 12 months than any of its competitors’ – due in large part to its strength in audit and its new recruitment scheme.

The firm received the ‘Audit Award of the Year’, for its ‘innovative ways of adding value’ with a new client (unnamed), and the 'Community Award’, for its six-year school leavers’ programme, which leads to a degree and ICAEW qualification. Under the scheme, students will study at Durham Business School for a BSc in accounting (with the option of studying additional modules outside of accountancy and finance). The first four years of the programme will involve a combination of work and university study, while the remaining two years will involve working and professional accountancy training, resulting in the ACA qualification. A £20k starting salary will be paid to them throughout the six years.

Graduates don’t need to fear that their places will be taken by school leavers, however – the firm has announced that it intends to hire 75,000 campus graduates worldwide over the next three years, an increase of 25 per cent above its usual target. Graduates will be offered roles in its audit, tax and advisory and internal firm services departments.

The British Accountancy Awards, in partnership with ACCA, reward outstanding performance and innovation across the accountancy sector, recognising both small local firms and global players.