Saffery commits to hiring over 140 trainees in its UK and Ireland offices
At many of the largest professional services firms, young professionals are struggling to find entry-level roles, amid hiring freezes and AI-driven reorganisations. But Saffery is bucking that trend, as it continues to recruit at scale – welcoming more than 140 trainees in its coming financial year.
Founded in 1855 by Joseph John Saffery, Saffery works as an advisor to individuals and businesses across a range of sectors, providing market-leading accountancy, audit, business advisory, tax and VAT services.
The firms has been investing consistently in talent in recent months. Earlier in 2026, Saffery hired Steve Preston as a partner in the audit team and Alastair Loasby as director of sustainability and ESG. Later, Hayley Brightmore-Cox was named as head of transaction services, while Jake Stanmore and Harry Kendall were also promoted to partner.
Now, the accountancy and business advisory firm has announced plans to foster the next generation of talent. A cohort of 144 trainees will join Saffery across its UK and Dublin offices during the 2026/27 financial year – with 107 arriving in September 2026, and a further 37 in January 2027.
Rob Jarvis, HR director at Saffery, said, “We’ve had another strong year for trainee recruitment, reflecting our confidence and commitment to investing in the next generation of professionals. Many of our trainees go on to build long and successful careers with the firm, making early careers recruitment an important part of talent strategy.”
Training and experience
The new recruits include graduates, school leavers and apprentices who will work across Saffery’s ten UK and Dublin offices, supporting audit and assurance, tax, accounts and client payroll teams. Each will follow a structured qualification pathway combining professional study with hands-on experience.
The plan adds to the 347 trainees that Saffery already supports, pursuing a range of accountancy, audit and tax qualifications. In 2025, their exam performance exceeded professional institutes’ pass rates in 95% of cases, reflecting the firm’s strong commitment to professional development and training.
Alongside its trainee programmes, Saffery continues to invest in early careers opportunities for students exploring a future in professional services. This summer, the firm welcomed 21 interns across its offices, giving them valuable insight into life at Saffery and workplace experience.
At the same time, for the coming academic year, Saffery will also host eight placement students on six and 12-month placements. These opportunities enable students in their penultimate year of university to gain practical experience, develop professional skills and apply their academic learning in a real-world environment.
“Whether joining as a graduate, school leaver, apprentice, intern or placement student, our aim is to provide individuals with the skills, experience and support they need to build successful careers. By combining professional qualifications, hands-on client work and access to programmes such as our new Saffery Kickstart Programme, we’re helping to create a strong pipeline of future talent for our business and our clients,” added Kathryn Gomme, head of learning and development at Saffery.
