Why apprenticeships are essential to the future of accountancy

From start-ups to multinational organisations, from public services to private investment, accountants sit at the centre of decision-making, compliance and long-term resilience. When the profession struggles to attract and develop sufficient talent, the impact is felt well beyond finance functions. Addressing this challenge requires a sustained focus on how the profession builds its future workforce. 

ICAS’ Chartered Accountant (CA) qualification has long been described as a “passport to opportunity”. Our members go on to hold senior leadership roles across business and finance, in Scotland, the UK and internationally. The remarkable stat that 86% of FTSE 100 companies employ a CA more than proves this point. But ensuring the continued relevance and strength of the profession depends on widening access to that passport, without compromising the standards on which trust in the designation is built. 

Today’s accountants are strategic advisers, business leaders and ethical stewards, increasingly embedded within complex organisations and operating environments. Technical excellence remains non-negotiable, but it must be complemented by commercial awareness, professional judgement and adaptability. Accountancy education must reflect this broader skillset if the profession is to continue meeting employer and societal expectations. 

Growing the future talent pipeline is therefore a strategic priority. This means expanding and evolving pathways to position the profession as accessible at different life stages, while also supporting employers’ need for work-ready professionals.  

Why choose an apprenticeship?

Apprenticeships play a critical role in this landscape. They provide a structured route to professional qualification while enabling individuals to earn, gain practical experience, and avoid the financial barriers that can deter capable candidates. For employers, they offer a way to develop talent aligned to organisational needs, helping to address skills shortages sustainably. 

There remains, however, a perception challenge. Accountancy is still too often viewed as a narrow career choice, particularly by younger people weighing their options. While there is already strong support for apprenticeship routes across the accountancy profession - including well-established programmes within the Big Four and beyond - the reality is far broader. Chartered accountants can build careers across every sector of the economy – from fashion houses and film production to healthcare or hospitality services. Through industry Authorised Training Offices (ATOs), apprentices are not confined to traditional practice but can qualify while working at the heart of these diverse organisations.  

A profession that is accessible to the widest possible range of people is ultimately a stronger one. Broadening entry routes beyond the traditional graduate pathway helps to diversify not only who takes up accountancy, but who progresses to senior roles. Apprenticeships play a central role in this shift. By opening access earlier and more flexibly, and by enabling people to earn while they learn, barriers that might otherwise exclude talent from a career in the profession are removed. 

Awareness is now one of the key barriers. Too many potential candidates are unaware that they can begin a professional accountancy career without stepping away from employment or committing to a traditional three-year degree. The pathways exist and are already delivering results. 

Scotland offers a clear example through the ICAS Graduate Apprenticeship, delivered in partnership with Robert Gordon University. This route allows apprentices to work towards full ICAS qualification while gaining a degree and practical experience concurrently. It has proven incredibly effective for employers, maintains high academic and professional standards, and demonstrably widens access to the profession. 

In England, the Level 7 Accountancy and Taxation Apprenticeship has similarly shown how advanced apprenticeships can meet employer demand while developing highly skilled professionals. These programmes are drawing talent from a wider range of backgrounds, regions and career stages - exactly what the profession needs to remain resilient. 

A profession that draws from the widest possible talent pool is better placed to adapt, innovate and lead in an increasingly complex global economy. If accountancy underpins every other sector, then investing in its future workforce is, or should be, a no-brainer. 

National Apprenticeship Week offers an opportunity not just to celebrate success stories, but to commit collectively to expanding access, raising standards and backing the next generation of accountants.

Apprenticeships remain a proven, practical mechanism for supporting quality, strengthening capacity and ensuring the profession stays robust, relevant and fit for the future. 

This aticle was first published by Accountancy Daily on 09/02/26.