RSM appoints record 400 trainees across UK
RSM has welcomed 400 new trainees into its UK firm, including a record number of school leavers. The move comes as the firm bids to increase its diversity, and tap into talent which opts for a career in professional services as an alternative to university.
Britain’s Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission found that 70% of all jobs in the professional services sector currently went to those who had attended the most selective schools in the country – a group that consists of no more than 7% of the national population as a whole. Improved social mobility in the UK could add as much as £170 billion to the UK economy, and as part of efforts to broaden the talent pools of the professional services industry in particular, focus has increasingly shifted toward firms picking up promising school leavers via traineeships.
Auditing and advisory firm RSM has long been at the forefront of this ramping up of its trainee intake. In 2016, the firm reported 14 new trainees had been recruited to its Southampton office alone, and has since expanded its annual trainee intake significantly across the UK. In 2018, this saw 314 join the firm, while this year a record 400 trainees have arrived in RSM’s British offices.
Robert Ross, COO at RSM, commented, “I’m delighted to welcome this group of very talented new trainees to RSM. We’re committed to providing our new joiners from school or university with all the support they need to develop themselves and their careers, as they are our future business leaders. I wish them every success in building their careers and reaching their goals here at RSM and encourage them to enjoy the experience as they go.”
Of the new recruits, 71 are school leavers, up on the 66 who joined last year, and the 52 before that, demonstrating the firm’s bid to attract young workers who see the world of professional services as an alternative to going to university. The news came on the same day A-level results were announced across the UK. The new recruits will begin their careers within the firm’s tax, audit, corporate finance, risk, restructuring advisory, financial reporting and IT teams. After completing an intensive internal training course, they will commence study towards their professional ACA, AAT, ATT, ICAS, ACCA, CIA or CTA accountancy qualifications.
The new intake of graduate and school leaver trainees will be working across 30 of RSM’s UK offices. 88 of the new recruits will be based in London; 86 will be based through the East and West Midlands; a further 82 will be based throughout the firm’s southern office network; 58 will be spread throughout the North-East; 60 in the North-West, and; 33 in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Victoria Kirkhope, National HR and Development Director, added, “Our trainees gain a professional qualification and the technical and personal skills that they need to develop their careers and reach their full potential with RSM… There is no doubt that embarking on your career and studying for a professional qualification at the same time can be challenging... Our people, who come from a range of backgrounds and bring with them a range of experiences, truly are the heart of our business. I wish every one of our new trainees a long and rewarding career with us.”