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Apprentices rise through ranks at accountancy firm

Andrew Turner
BBC News, Norfolk
Reporting fromBeacon Park, Gorleston-on-Sea
Andrew Turner/BBC Toby Lockyer is wearing a white shirt which has black buttons. He is smiling, has a close cropped beard and long dark hair. Next to him is India Peak, who has long auburn hair, and is wearing a grey polo-neck jersey. They are both standing in the office of Stephenson Smart, where they both work as apprentices in accountancy.Andrew Turner/BBC
Toby Lockyer started working for Stephenson Smart in 2024 having been offered an apprenticeships while studying his T-Levels. He is alongside graduate India Peak.

An accountancy firm says apprentices have every opportunity to rise through the ranks through training and hard work.

Stephenson Smart has 20 apprentices across its seven offices in Norfolk and Cambridgeshire who can spend up to four years learning on the job.

In National Apprenticeship Week, the company, based in King's Lynn in Norfolk, said it was proud of its record for recruiting young people who choose vocational qualifications, as well as taking on graduate trainees.

Connor Simpson, 27, joined as an apprentice in 2015 and is now assistant manager of one of the company's teams.

"When I came here, starting as a trainee, I knew that I wanted to go far," he said.

"I knew there would be difficulties of the exams, the pressure of the job.

"It's something that has to be learnt on a daily basis, [but] by doing that work here it's made it very possible.

"It was obviously going to be a struggle at the start, but with the right support from my colleagues it's pushed me to do what I've always wanted to do."

Andrew Turner/BBC Connor Simpson is wearing a green jacket and is sitting on a red office chair. He has short brown hair, and is smiling, looking at the camera. In front of him is a three-screen computer displaying work-based websites and forms.Andrew Turner/BBC
Connor Simpson says he knew he wanted to learn on the job and seek promotion within the company where he started his career

Toby Lockyer, 19, joined the Gorleston-on-Sea team as an apprentice within weeks of getting his T-Level results from East Norfolk Sixth Form College.

"It's been something I couldn't imagine, being at my age now," he said.

"Personally, I learn a lot more on the job than what I do in education, so this has been a great way for me to skip all the uni part and get straight into a career."

Andrew Turner/BBC Jake Groom is wearing a white shirt and sports a full beard. He has a shaved head, and is sitting at his desk on a red office chair. There is a window behind him which looks out onto Beacon Park in Gorleston and on the wall to the right of the images are pictures drawn by children.Andrew Turner/BBC
Jake Groom, associate director at Stephenson Smart, says apprenticeships can help businesses develop talent which allows people to reach their potential

Jake Groom, associate director at Stephenson Smart, said: "Apprenticeships are a great way to get your foot in the door, earn while you learn and ultimately get on the career ladder.

"Universities also have their positives; you get to go away from home and experience independent life, meet new people and get a qualification at the end of it which you can transfer wherever you like ultimately.

"A lot of people may think it's a way to get in, get the qualification and run off to a different firm or do something slightly different.

"[But] they're a great way to build on skills in the workplace and ultimately climb the ladder with a firm that you joined at the start and further advance your career over the long-term."

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