BDO supports more than 8,200 students through work experience initiatives
BDO supports more than 8,200 students through work experience initiatives
BDO is on track to provide work experience and career insight opportunities to more than 8,200 young people across the UK this year, as part of its commitment to improving access to accountancy.
The milestone reflects a significant expansion of the firm’s early engagement activity, spanning in-person insight events, social mobility programmes and virtual work experience opportunities designed to help young people explore a career in professional services.
According to BDO’s Young Minds: The Unequal Advantage Report, employer encounters and work experience opportunities can play a significant role in shaping young people’s career aspirations.
The research also found that two fifths (42%) of 18-25 year olds believe access to a chosen career is only equal if a person has relevant work experience, underlining the importance of providing students meaningful opportunities to engage with employers.
Louise Sayers, Head of People, Culture & Purpose at BDO says:
“These early career experiences are crucial in helping young people understand the world of work and the routes available to them once they leave education. At the same time, they help build a more inclusive pipeline of future talent for the profession.
“I’m incredibly proud of our colleagues across the business who make these programmes possible and provide students with valuable insights, practical skills and relatable role models.”
Earlier this year, BDO launched a three-year modernised work experience partnership with Connectr Early Engagement. Its ‘Bridge to BDO’ and ‘Discover Finance’ programmes have already reached almost 800 school students across Years 9 to 13.
Throughout July, BDO continues to welcome school, college and university students to 12 of its offices across the UK for a series of in-person work insight sessions. By the end of the month, almost 1,000 young people will have taken part in interactive workshops, employability skills training and networking opportunities with BDO professionals.
Meanwhile, BDO’s social mobility-focused programme ‘Explore BDO’ will return for its sixth-year next month, expanding to support more than 140 students in Years 11 and 12 across the firm’s offices in Leeds, Birmingham and London.
Alongside its in-person programmes, more than 6,300 students aged 13 and over are now registered and active on BDO’s virtual work experience platform, Springpod. This online programme provides an immersive introduction to life at BDO, insight into the firm’s early career pathways and the opportunity to see real-life career stories from employees.
Theo Dal Pozzo is a Data, Analytics and AI Analyst at BDO, he says:
"Being able to access meaningful and relevant work experience whilst I was at school was so important in helping me decide the direction I wanted my career to take. It was exactly the kind of experience that more young people should have access to. For me it's fundamental to building practical, work-ready skills that help people thrive. Early career pathways like the ones available at BDO matter because they allow people to show their ability and get a foot on the ladder. The earlier that happens, the more it has the power to shape a career.”
ENDS
Note to editors
BDO LLP operates in 19 offices across the UK and Ireland, employing 8,500 people. It has revenues of £1.1bn.
It provides Audit, Tax, Deals, and Consulting, Risk & Outsourcing (CR&O) services predominantly to the entrepreneurial, ambitious and growing mid-sized businesses that are driving growth in the UK and Ireland economies.
BDO LLP is the UK and Ireland member firm of the BDO Global network.
BDO Global
The BDO international network provides business advisory services in 169 countries and territories, with 95,000 people working out of 870 offices worldwide. It has revenues of US$11bn.
Contact
Nikki Barnsley-WalkerCorporate Affairs Assistant Manager
nikki.barnsley-walker@bdo.co.uk
media@bdo.co.uk
www.bdo.co.uk