Stockport-based accounting and business advisory firm HURST has welcomed its biggest ever single intake of trainees, a cohort of 11 new arrivals.

The group is made up of eight university graduates and three sixth-form college leavers.

Five of the graduates have joined HURST after gaining degrees in accounting and finance from Manchester Metropolitan University, reinforcing the firm's strong links with the university.

The five are Antony Vettukuzhiyil, Fahim Ali, Faraaz Iftikhar, Hadiba Ali and Samuel Pakes.

Taalyah Riaz has joined from the University of Manchester, Phil Rhodes from Sheffield Hallam University and Lucy Deegan from the University of Leeds.

Savera Syed has joined from Loreto College in Manchester, Jacob Rhodes from Ashton Sixth Form College in Tameside and Jacob Popplewell from Ellesmere College in Shropshire.

Anthony Woodings, the HURST partner responsible for trainee recruitment, said: "We have a long history of recruiting trainees, but this is a significant increase due to a rapidly-growing client base and internal promotions creating new vacancies.

"Alongside our intake of university graduates, our latest recruits include three sixth-form college leavers, and we anticipate this proportion will grow in the future.

"We are consistently seeing this level of recruit turn their backs on the bigger firms. They are attracted to firms like ours that can offer the same pay and career prospects, coupled with a more appealing culture."

He added: "This is our biggest and most diverse intake ever, reflecting the growth of the firm and our ambitions to take on more clients in 2024.

"The trainees will be working towards qualifications with the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and we are delighted that they have made HURST their firm of choice to develop their careers.

"While this group represents the latest additions to our team, we are constantly recruiting across the firm to keep up with demand for the range of services HURST offers to entrepreneurial businesses throughout the north west and beyond."

The 11-strong intake brings the total number of trainees recruited by HURST this year to 15.

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