Renowned for developing young talent, Champion Accountants has welcomed a fresh tranche of trainees across its four practices.
Following its annual trainee recruitment drive, nine new starters have begun their accountancy and advisory careers and will gain experience as well as qualifications in specialisms, including audit, management accounts, bookkeeping, VAT and tax compliance.
In Champion’s Manchester HQ, Ben Percival joins as an audit & accounts trainee, while Jasmine Appleton and Thomas Fielding have been appointed as management accounts trainees. Olivia Knowles and Millie Robertson have been welcomed to the fold in Blackpool as audit & accounts trainee and bookkeeping & VAT trainee, respectively.
Meanwhile, Chester has strengthened its team with two audit & accounts trainees, Isabel Acton and Emilia Mandyna. Finally, in Preston, Amelia Broderick has claimed her position as an audit & accounts trainee, and Harry Billington is this year’s tax compliance trainee.
The cohort will be supported as they work towards AAT, ATT and ACCA qualifications. Champion has a long history of nurturing talent in the industry, with many of the firm’s senior colleagues beginning their careers as trainees at Champion and rising through the ranks.
With dedicated support, real-world experience with Champion clients, and an established training path, the new recruits can hope to join in the footsteps of previous trainees, building a career providing essential services and solutions to some of the country’s most innovative and fast-growth SMEs.
Isabel Acton commented: “Once I completed my interview, I knew immediately that I wanted to join Champion. The support provided with the AAT and ACCA course is invaluable, and what’s more, the team is friendly and the atmosphere in the office is fun. I know I want a career in accounting, and that qualifications are key, so I’m thrilled to have landed a dream job where staff morale is a priority and I’m part of a happy, engaged team.
“I’m most looking forward to building my knowledge so that when future trainees join, I will be able to help them just as much as I have been helped. I’ll have the opportunity to return all the kindness that I have received, helping another colleague feel secure in their decision to join Champion.”
Ged Cosgrove, group managing partner, added: “Autumn is always an exciting season at Champion as we welcome our new trainees. I have full confidence that our new recruits will be well-supported – many members of their new teams will remember how it felt to join the business as a trainee.
“We are well aware of the potential of our new trainees, with so many of our senior colleagues rising through the ranks following their traineeships. While, of course, they will be paid employees whose qualifications are funded by the business, ensuring no student debt, our biggest investment into the cohort will be the time spent by our team in developing their talents and coaching them through their experience. I’m proud to say that we have many dedicated mentors amongst our people.
“What’s more, we want them to enjoy working at Champion. Wellbeing is amongst our highest priorities, as evidenced by our four-day working week trial. We’ve chosen trainees who we hope will be dedicated to Champion, and in turn, we are committed to developing their careers in a happy, healthy environment.”