A YORK accountancy firm has reinforced its commitment to training the next generation within its profession with 20 new recruits.

BHP has taken on 20 apprentices, graduates and placement students to work across five of the firm’s departments in York, Sheffield, Leeds, Cleckheaton, and Chesterfield.

The apprentices will work within the audit and accounts department, the tax department, the healthcare department and for BHP’s outsourcing business – Prosper.

The two year programme will see the apprentices work towards the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) and the Association of Taxation Technicians (ATT) qualifications.

Lisa Leighton, partner at BHP said: “Each year we make a huge commitment to the professional development and training of the next generation of accountants, and this year we have selected some of the finest students who are not only talented, but have a genuine passion for the industry.

“Recruiting apprentices, graduates and placements students enables us to give everyone an equal opportunity to succeed in their chosen field, and we can’t wait to start introducing these talented young people to our team and clients.”

Six of the seven graduates working within the company’s audit and accounts department will support experienced BHP staff who service a range of clients in the manufacturing, retail, creative and digital industries.

They will undertake a three year training agreement to attain the Associate Chartered Accountant (ACA) qualification and become Chartered Accountants.

The seventh graduate will be working alongside some of the apprentices within the recently formed outsourcing business Prosper – a new service which provides financial, technical and commercial support to small and medium sized enterprises.

Four budding accountancy professionals are joining BHP on a one year professional placement programme. Working in audit and accounts and the award winning corporate finance department, the placement students are all on track for at least a 2:1 degree at university, and had to demonstrate a high level of enthusiasm, commitment, professionalism and academic ability to gain one of the coveted placements.

BHP is Yorkshire’s largest independent firm of Chartered Accountants, ranked 33 in the Top 50 firms nationally and employing more than 300 people.