Johnston Carmichael welcomes trainee quartet

Accountancy and business advisory firm Johnston Carmichael is welcoming four ICAS Foundation students as graduate trainees as its partnership with the charity continues to create routes into the profession.

Islay Sutherland will join the firm’s Aberdeen office after completing a placement year as part of her accounting and finance degree at Robert Gordon University.

Dean Bastien, Katie Farley and Emma Savage will join its Glasgow office after completing summer internships with the firm.

Dean said: “My internship with Johnston Carmichael provided me with first-hand experience in audit, exposure to a wide range of clients and industries, and confirmed that it was the career path I wanted to pursue.

“Being trusted with meaningful work made the transition from university to professional life both rewarding and enjoyable. 

“I’m delighted to be returning to Johnston Carmichael as an audit graduate and look forward to continuing to learn and develop my career with the firm.”

All four will undertake chartered accountant training with ICAS and form part of a wider intake of 80 students joining Johnston Carmichael this year.

Laura Carter, head of early careers at Johnston Carmichael, added: “Seeing four ICAS Foundation students return to Johnston Carmichael as graduate trainees is fantastic and demonstrates exactly why we invested in this partnership.

“Creating opportunities for talented people, regardless of their background, is incredibly important to us. 

“Through bursaries, mentoring and meaningful work experience, we're helping to remove barriers while also strengthening our future talent pipeline.

“These students have already made a real impression during their placements with us, and we look forward to welcoming them back to begin the next stage of their careers.”

Johnston Carmichael became one of the ICAS Foundation’s first national employer partners in 2023, investing £5000 annually to support bursary places alongside providing mentoring and insight events.

The Foundation helps young people from under-represented socio-economic backgrounds pursue accountancy and finance careers through financial assistance, mentoring and links with employers.

The four recruits represent the largest number secured by any ICAS Foundation employer partner from this year’s graduate cohort, with their appointments building on previous placements and internships with Johnston Carmichael.

Sanjay Singh, managing director at the ICAS Foundation, added: "This is exactly what the ICAS Foundation was created to achieve. 

“By combining financial support with mentoring and internship and placement opportunities, we're helping talented students overcome barriers and build successful careers in accountancy.

“Johnston Carmichael has fully embraced our partnership and seeing four students return as graduate trainees is a fantastic example of what's possible when employers make a long-term commitment to social mobility. 

“We hope this success encourages more firms to get involved.”

Want your business, product or service to be seen regionally and nationally? Bdaily helps you get your story in front of the right audience, every day. Find out how Bdaily can help →

Join more than 55,000 subscribers by signing up to our daily bulletin each morning here.