An accountancy firm has launched an ‘apprenticeship’ for aspiring partners.
Cwmbran-based Green & Co believes its partner programme, which is designed to give senior accountants the support they need to become partners, is the first of its kind.
It says the programme is an opportunity for accountants who want to become business leaders, and will act as a three-year partner apprenticeship.
Those accepted for the programme with will go through everything they need to achieve Partnership status including the training, experience and ethos of the company, as they shadow the current partners and build their confidence and understanding of the role.
The programme has been developed in response to the challenges the wider industry faces in attracting and retaining financial staff, particularly in senior positions.
The Financial Services Skills Commission (FSSC) said that 92% of its member firms were struggling to fill some vacancies, with 42% saying this was due to difficulties sourcing talent. Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) found that in June 2022 the industry had more than five unfilled vacancies for every 100 jobs – the highest since records began.
The Green & Co programme will guide potential partners into the senior role, addressing industry concerns such as the importance of work-life balance as a partner.
Two positions are available. Applicants need to have an ACCA/ICAEW qualification and two to three years post-qualification experience to apply.
Director at Green & Co Scott Harris said that the programme was unique and a crucial part of the firm’s growth.
He said: “We’re not aware of any other firm of our type that has a programme like this in place. The business is growing strongly and we are now keen to grow our Partnership team in order to take on more clients.
“However, it’s a delicate fit to find the right person with the skills and experience for the role but who also matches the ethos and culture of our company. Combined with the challenges the wider industry faces in access to talent, more traditional methods of recruitment have not been working.
“We’ve created a programme which will address some of these issues, but also demystify the role and support candidates over a number of years. At the end of the programme the new partners will have already started to build their own book of clients and will have established their preferred way of working.
“The industry is changing rapidly, both as technology and regulation develop and in the way people want to work. As an award-winning firm, we have always been at the forefront of the industry, both by developing new services, technology and systems, and focussing on work-life balance.”
