Grant Thornton has reported an increase of 47% in applications for its School Leavers programme, following a drive to increase social mobility and broaden the appeal of accountancy as a career option.

The leading business and financial advisor has welcomed 13 graduates and 1 school leaver to its Scottish practice ahead of a busy period of growth across its three offices in Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

The firm’s national strategy has resulted in more than a quarter of new hires (26%) joining straight from school, after the business made a number of changes to its selection process, including the removal of academic barriers to entry.

The new hires will play a key part in Grant Thornton’s long-term Scottish growth strategy, including its Vibrant Scotland initiative, designed to facilitate greater collaborative cross-industry thinking and build a more sustainable, vibrant economy throughout the country.

Andrew Howie, Grant Thornton UK’s Managing Partner in Scotland, said:

“By removing academic barriers and focusing on a wider set of skills, we’ve been able to open up a new pool of talent and increase opportunities for a more diverse range of people. Our business is here to serve a huge mix of clients and organisations, so it makes complete sense that we tap into the best talent from across Scotland, who can provide the insight, knowledge and passion for business that Grant Thornton has become famous for.”

17 year-old Katie Hall from Dalziel High School, is the latest school leaver to join the firm, and will be based in Glasgow, but gain skills and a client space across Scotland. Katie commented

“I was attracted to Grant Thornton after meeting some of the team members who joined the firm in a similar way to me. I decided to go straight from school to my career because I wanted to get stuck in and develop my career immediately. I’m looking forward to gaining vital on-the-ground business knowledge and work with a wide range of organisations and individuals, helping to unlock growth and play my part in building a more sustainable, vibrant Scotland.”