Hazlewoods have been named as one of the Top Employers for School and College Leavers in the UK for the second year running.
The firm was ranked 34th in the fourth national Top Employers for School and College Leavers awards organised by AllAboutSchoolLeavers.co.uk
The awards recognise companies that are both raising awareness of and delivering apprenticeships, school leaver programmes and sponsored degrees.
The winners were decided on the basis of anonymous satisfaction surveys filled in by trainees according to skills development, careers progress and salary.
Julia Jones, HR Director at Hazlewoods, said: “We are over the moon at being placed above some of the biggest national players in this ranking, including BP, GSK, Boots, Jaguar Land Rover and Harrods.
“We work closely with schools and colleges attending events such as careers evenings and providing mock interviews and offer a route to becoming a qualified accountant without having to go to university.”
A-level students can apply for an AAT (Association of Accounting Technicians) training contract with Hazlewoods which lasts two years. During that time they are employed full time gaining valuable experience of working in accountancy whilst attending college one day a week and undertaking exams.
Students can apply via the website and this year the firm has nine AAT trainees starting in September. At the end of the two years they can choose to continue their journey to chartered accountant status by taking up a further three years training contract through ACA which is the ICAEW (Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales) qualification or the ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants).
Julia Jones said: “Trainees are supported every step of the way at Hazlewoods. It is hard work working full time and studying but they get time out to study and take exams.
“We liaise regularly with the college they are attending and get regular feedback on progress. Hazlewoods is committed to bringing in new AAT trainees every year and to its training programme.
“There are clear opportunities to develop and climb the career ladder and we are wholly committed to developing our own talent at Hazlewoods and nurturing it – 12 of our 21 partners started out at Hazlewoods as trainees.
“We are very encouraged to gain this ranking as a Top Employer for School and College Leavers."