Bishop Fleming strengthens talent pipeline with over 70 new apprentices
Professional services firm Bishop Fleming has marked its sixth consecutive year of growth in apprentice recruitment. The firm has welcomed more than 70 new apprentices, as it seeks to be noted as one of the country’s top apprenticeship employers.
Bishop Fleming is an independent provider of audit, accountancy, tax, and advisory services in the UK, boasting a turnover of £43.1 million, and growth of almost 13% over its last financial year. As it looks to continue this expansion well into the future, the firm will welcome 73 new apprentices into its business this September.
The new joiners, a mix of graduates, school leavers, and placement students, will begin their career journeys across the firm’s nine South West and West Midlands offices, contributing to Bishop Fleming’s long-term investment in the next generation of accountancy, audit, tax and advisory professionals. This milestone comes five years after the firm became an accredited Apprenticeship Employer Provider, further demonstrating its commitment to nurturing future talent through its apprenticeship programme.
Anna Averis, Partner and Chief People Officer at Bishop Fleming, said, “Our apprenticeship programme is a cornerstone of how we build the future of Bishop Fleming. Year after year, we are attracting more outstanding individuals who want to shape their careers with us. To welcome 73 new apprentices in 2025, while being recognised nationally as one of the UK’s leading employers for apprenticeships, demonstrates the strength of our offer and the confidence we have in the next generation. Our Better Growth strategy is about creating opportunity, developing skills, and sustaining excellence - and our apprentices are vital to making that a reality.”
In 2024, Ofsted rated the firm’s apprenticeship programme Outstanding across all five key areas. The inspection complimented the quality of education, personal development, behaviours and attitudes, leadership and management, and apprenticeship provision. Each apprentice benefits from a tailored 100-day induction, structured training with the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) – where Bishop Fleming is a Partner in Learning and clear long-term development pathways.
Managing Partner and CEO, Andrew Sandiford added, “I am proud to welcome our 2025 intake, who join us at a time of strong growth and momentum for the firm. Their talent and ambition will play a key role in driving our future success. Bishop Fleming is committed to being an employer of choice in professional services, and our apprenticeship programme is proof that we can compete and lead on a national stage. I encourage anyone looking for a career that combines development, challenge, and purpose to consider our 2026 opportunities.”
The intake comes at a time when junior roles are increasingly under threat in the consulting sector. Driven by a post-pandemic consulting slump, and the need for cost-cutting measures, the largest firms are turning to more self-serving practices to meet client demands, such as reducing hiring and capitalising on the boom in AI to meet growing client demand – a move some industry experts warn could leave the future of the industry short on top talent.
