A Midland accountancy firm has taken on five apprentices and is building links with its local school.

Doug Marshall, accounts manager at Ormerod Rutter, which has offices in Droitwich Spa, Worcester and Bromsgrove, has devised the practice’s new apprenticeship scheme.

“We were keen to employ young people with a good standard of English and maths, a wide range of interests and the ability to work in a team,” said Mr Marshall, whose career began as an apprentice ten years ago.

“During the first 12 months, the apprentices will each spend three months in our tax, limited company, small business and audit departments. “For the following two years, they will be allocated to a set department.”

As the apprentices work towards their Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) qualification, they will also attend Kidderminster College one day a week.

If successful, they can then progress to the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) qualification, which takes four years to complete.

The apprentices are Dan Stokes, from Bromsgrove, Oliver Maiden from Kidderminster, Amelia Roberts from Bewdley, Sam Batkin from Worcester and Grace Humphries from Stourport.

A family-owned practice, Ormerod Rutter has built links with Droitwich Spa High School by offering work experience placements to students.