A-level students with a head for figures are being urged to opt for work-based training in accountancy rather than going to university.
“You get paid while you’re learning the profession and you’ll be qualified a year earlier than someone who’s gained a degree. It just makes complete sense,” said James Shipp, partner in charge of the Great Yarmouth office of BDO accountants and business advisers.
“Perhaps more importantly, you won’t be saddled with a student loan debt of £30,000 or more,” he said.
BDO is looking to appoint up to five A-level students this year to enrol on its award winning School Leavers Programme and work at its offices in Yarmouth and Norwich.
“We’ve often struggled to attract young people who have just finished their A-levels because most of them appear to see a university degree as the only route into the profession. We still recruit a large number of graduates each year and whilst BDO’s graduate training programme is a fantastic option for graduates it is by no means the only way into the profession.
“By joining a firm like BDO after sixth form they can be qualified in five years, compared with six years for someone who has gone through university,” said Mr Shipp, who himself joined a Norwich accountancy firm after A-levels and at the age of 36 now runs BDO’s Yarmouth office.
He said accountancy wasn’t just about maths and number crunching. Students had to have an interest in business, commerce and the wider economy. They should also be confident and have good people skills, as much of their work would involve meeting clients face-to-face and advising them on how to develop their businesses.
Dominic Smith, 20, from Cantley, joined BDO nearly two years ago after completing A-levels at East Norfolk Sixth Form College, Gorleston. “I didn’t really know what I wanted to do when I started college but I became really interested in accounting and eventually realised it would be a great career for me,” he said.
“I thought going to university would be a waste of time as I could learn on a training programme and save myself the massive burden of a student loan. It just seemed like a no-brainer and I’d advise anyone to consider this route. It’s a really interesting and rewarding profession. BDO provides plenty of support and have made me feel part of the team from day one.”
BDO’s School Leaver Programme enables trainees to earn a salary while they are learning and this increases as they progress through the scheme. They learn from experts in their field, working on real business projects from the start. The programme offers school leavers the opportunity to work across a broad range of clients and sectors, progressing towards a professional qualification with either the ICAEW or ACCA.
Sam Grimmer, aged 21, of Carlton Colville, who is based at BDO’s Norwich office, said, “I had applied for a university place and been accepted but then I read about the School Leaver Programme on the website. It seemed a good alternative as you finish up with the same accountancy qualifications as someone joining from university. Plus, you would have three years good experience under your belt.” Sam is a former student of the Sir John Leman High School, Beccles.
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Issued for BDO by TMS Media. For further information please contact: James Shipp at BDO on 01493 382531 or [email protected] Steve Scott at TMS on 01493 662929 or [email protected]
