Anderson Anderson & Brown LLP (AAB) became the first accountancy firm in Scotland to achieve the prestigious Investors in Young People Gold Award last year, as a result of the firm’s efforts in the recruitment, retention and development of young people. Since then AAB has actively participated in numerous youth employment and development activities including launching a paid summer internship programme, supporting the curriculum at primary schools, backing the P&J Apprentice 100 campaign and enhancing their relationship with local schools. All of these activities run alongside AAB’s annual placement and graduate trainee programmes.
AAB has also been working with ‘Career Ready’, which is a UK wide charity linking employers with schools and colleges to open up the world of work to young people (16-18 year olds) through a structured programme of learning that sits alongside students’ school or college curriculum. It is delivered by employer volunteers who provide masterclasses, mentoring, workplace visits and internships to help students develop their confidence, skills and networks to achieve their potential. Through volunteering for Career Ready employers get the chance to develop their own management skills and find the next generation of talented employees.
Through Career Ready, Jessica Middleton, HR Advisor at AAB, has been mentoring Oldmachar Academy, 5th year student Katie Youngson, who was set to undertake a five-week internship with AAB during Summer 2016. However, having already established a great relationship with AAB and knowing about the numerous training programmes the firm offers, Katie had also applied to AAB’s School Leaver Programme, to learn on the job and work towards achieving a professional accounting qualification. Having thoroughly impressed AAB with her dedication and hard work ethic, Katie was offered a school leaver position with AAB in the firm’s Accounting Services department to start this summer.
Katie commented “Career Ready has been a great opportunity for me and working with Jessica and learning more about AAB and the different options available ultimately helped me make the decision that a workplace training programme was the route I wanted to take to start my career. Through the AAB programme my training and ultimately professional qualification study route will be tailored and unique to me, and I will have the time to get to know the role and my department before my formal training plan commences, which is something that really appealed to me. The prospect of on-the-job training, working with clients from the get go and then in the future studying towards a recognised professional qualification is something I am hugely looking forward to.”
Jessica added “we are constantly looking for bright and enthusiastic individuals to join AAB and build progressive and successful careers with us. Our firm is recognised for providing learning, training and employment opportunities for young people and we are committed to developing the professionals of the future. We invest heavily in our various training programmes and are incredibly proud of the opportunities we offer.
Career Ready has been a fantastic initiative to be a part of and mentoring Katie has been hugely rewarding. She is a very bright young lady and I have no doubt that she will flourish in our school leaver programme. We look forward to welcoming Katie, and our other trainees joining us in internship, placement and graduate roles, to the firm in the summer and helping them all develop the skills required to achieved their ambitions.”
