Member Article

Grant Thornton grows Thames Valley and Southampton team with next generation of talent

Grant Thornton UK LLP’s Thames Valley and Southampton offices have hired a raft of new starters this September, as the firm looks to invest in the future of the region.

35 graduates and school leavers have joined the leading business and financial advisory firm across a broad range of departments, including audit, corporate tax, transaction advisory services, outsourcing, innovations tax and employee solutions.

The new joiners have been welcomed from various stages of education including school leavers, university graduates and placement students.

Nationally, Grant Thornton has more than doubled the number of trainees joining its school leaver apprenticeship programme, achieving a record 193 new recruits, up from 90 in 2021.

The firm has also welcomed a record number across its broader trainee intake in 2022, with a combined 461 new graduates and school leavers joining across the country.

Grant Thornton, which was named in the top 10 of the Department for Education’s Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers in 2022, aims to reach a 50:50 split in its trainee hire population between university graduates and those joining straight from school.

Norman Armstrong, Practice Leader for Grant Thornton in the Thames Valley and Southampton region, said: “All of our new recruits have impressed us with the passion and intelligence they’ve shown, and we look forward to helping them unlock their full potential moving forward. Investing and upskilling the next generation in this way is incredibly valuable for both our team’s development and for the region’s businesses, as it ensures that they have access to the skills and abilities they will need in the future.”

20-year-old Prabhjyot Kaur Singh from Northolt, a University of Warwick student joining as an Audit Associate as part of a work placement, said: “I have been impressed by the inclusion and diversity within Grant Thornton. Everywhere I look, I see happy faces that are all welcoming and helpful. The teams and people are lovely and the office atmosphere is so friendly and homely that I immediately felt at home.

“I am particularly passionate about the role of digital technology and sustainability in business today. I’m intrigued by how these factors are changing the business landscape and how I can be a part of this growing phenomenon in business and financial services.”

Emily Adams, an 18-year-old Business Services Associate from Warwick, said: “The main thing that attracted me to Grant Thornton was the culture. When doing my research into apprenticeships and the employers available one thing that really stood out to me was how positive Grant Thornton employees were about the company. Since joining, my allocated buddy has been incredibly supportive, answered any questions that I had and helped me to feel comfortable in the office.”

Ben Higgins, a 23-year-old post-graduate joining the Reading office shared what attracted him to Grant Thornton. He said: “Grant Thornton really cares about its people, our lives both inside and outside of work as well as our careers and personal development. A very attractive aspect of a professional services firm such as Grant Thornton is the wide range of experiences and opportunities that are available.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by John Robson .