School Leaver Audit Trainee (ACA) - High Wycombe - September

Our training contract takes four years to complete with full support and access to first-class tuition centres. You’ll follow a structured development programme combining professional study with on-the-job learning. As your knowledge and confidence grow, you’ll take on more responsibility within audit engagements, contribute to more complex areas of work and build your confidence working directly with clients.

Our bespoke School Leaver Programme, developed with Kaplan, includes a six-week business simulation designed to build key professional skills such as teamwork, decision-making and leadership. Kaplan has successfully delivered this programme for several years and it has consistently received excellent feedback from participants.

If you’re AAT Level 4 qualified, you will be eligible for exemptions, otherwise we ask for all trainees to complete the full ACA syllabus. We believe that studying alongside a cohort gives you the best chance of exam success.

What you’ll do

• You'll be taken through the various stages of an audit from planning to completion
• Support audit engagements for clients across a diverse range of industries by testing financial information and reviewing key controls
• Prepare clear, well-structured audit documentation and working papers
• Work with client financial data using a range of accounting systems and audit tools
• Assist with planning and fieldwork, both in the office and on client sites
• Build strong relationships with clients to gain a deeper understanding of their business
• Help identify and investigate differences or inconsistencies in financial information
• Work closely with colleagues to deliver high-quality audit work to agreed deadlines

What you’ll learn

• Core audit and accounting principles, including regulatory and reporting requirements
• How audits are planned, delivered and reviewed in practice
• How businesses operate and how their financial processes and controls work
• How to assess risk and evaluate financial information critically
• The practical application of your professional qualification studies in a real-world environment

We’ll support you every step of the way through mentorship, structured training, and our off-site trainee programmes as well as regular social events to build friendships with colleagues.

What you'll need

• A minimum of 120 UCAS points from your top 3 A Levels or Highers (or equivalent), excluding General Studies and AS Levels,
• A minimum of 6 (or B) in GCSE or National 5 Maths and English Language (or equivalent).

We welcome applications from candidates who are AAT qualified. If you have completed AAT studies (up to Level 4) in place of A Levels or Highers, please detail this under the A Level, Scottish Highers (or equivalent) qualifications section on your application form.

If you have over 12 months relevant experience within a training contract at another firm, we recommend exploring part-qualified opportunities on our Experienced Hire vacancy page .

Benefits

Financial support & flexibility

• Competitive salary
• Profit-sharing scheme (approx. £1,000 per year)
• Generous annual leave & flexible work arrangements
• Contributory pension plan (5% salary match)

Work life balance & wellbeing

• Buddy scheme and/or line manager support
• Agile working policy (up to three days working from home, however in your first few months we do encourage up to 4 days in the office to reap the benefits of training around your managers and colleagues)
• Health assessments, GP access, & cancer screenings
• Access to mental health & wellbeing resources

Personal development and belonging

• Mentorship & career progression opportunities
• Participation in our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (ED&I) programme
• Volunteer to join one of our People networks, including Accessibility, Cultural Heritage, Faith, LGBTQ+, Social Mobility and Gender Equality