PKF Smith Cooper has welcomed 17 school leavers and graduates as part of the new trainee cohort, bolstering the specialist teams across the core Midlands offices. The cohort join shortly after the firm was announced as finalists for Accounting Excellence’s Employer of the Year.
The firm welcomes additions to the Audit and Transaction and Advisory Services (TAS) departments at a time of great expansion within the specialist teams. The TAS team has seen exponential growth over the past 12 months, welcoming Manager James Roberts as an expansion into our Birmingham office, and further investment in trainees throughout the year. The team’s development has been acknowledged externally too, as they were named as finalists for Transaction Services Team of the Year at Insider’s Midlands Dealmakers Awards.
Welcoming the school leavers and graduates will be the Learning and Development team, which was strengthened with the addition of Learning and Development Executive Holly Lee-Crick last month. The team will work closely with the trainees throughout their time at the firm, supporting their training and development needs on their way to becoming qualified accountants. Since the start of 2026, the exam pass rate has reached 89%, demonstrating the strength of the support our trainees have received.
I would like to welcome our new trainees as they begin their careers at PKF Smith Cooper. Their arrival comes at an important time for the firm, with continued growth across our specialist teams, creating opportunities for talented people to learn, contribute and progress. We are committed to investing in the next generation of professionals through first-class early careers support and our growing Learning and Development team, who are dedicated to helping our trainees build rewarding, long-term careers in accounting and business advisory.
James Bagley, Managing Partner at PKF Smith Cooper
Qais Hussain, Assistant Learning and Development Manager, added: “We’re excited to welcome our newest trainees and help them get off to a great start in their careers. They have an exciting journey ahead of them, and our team will be there every step of the way with guidance and ongoing mentorship to help them build their skills, grow in confidence and reach their full potential.”
