As one of Cornwall’s largest independent chartered accountancy practices, Lang Bennetts has just taken on two new apprentices as part of the firm’s very successful ongoing apprenticeship programme.

William Harding, from Falmouth, has joined the Falmouth office, while Jack Beech, from Roseworthy near Camborne, is working in the practice’s premises in Truro.

“I knew I didn’t want to go to university because of the huge debt you accrue so, for me, going down the apprenticeship route was a much better option,” said William. “I chose to do a business diploma at Truro College because it was vocational and made me feel I was working towards my future. The course covered accounting which I liked and was good at. The college then helped me secure a position at Lang Bennetts which I’m thoroughly enjoying.”

Jack started his apprenticeship a few days after completing GCSE exams at Richard Lander School in Truro. An accomplished mathematician, accountancy suited his natural abilities and he wanted to begin training for his chosen profession as soon as possible.

He said: “I tried accountancy during work experience week in year ten and loved it. I did lots of research and decided it was definitely the career I wanted to pursue. Because I prefer a hands on experience to sitting in a classroom, an apprenticeship seemed the obvious route to take. For me the most important thing was getting into a working environment.”

Both young men are based in their offices four days a week, with the remaining day spent at Truro College. They join current apprentice Ellen Garside, from Carnkie, who has two years left of her Association of Accountancy Technicians (AAT) course and two former Lang Bennetts’ apprentices: Kate Cooke, from Falmouth, who recently won Cornwall’s Accountancy Apprentice and Overall Apprentice of the Year titles and is now studying to achieve chartered status and Anna Garside, from Truro, who has just completed her AAT exams and is also moving on to chartered training.

Lang Bennetts partner Helen Hood said: “As a Cornish firm with a long and successful history, we strongly believe in supporting our local community as much as we can. Taking on apprentices is very important because it helps talented young people develop their skills in a work setting. It’s also very good for us as a business in that we learn as much from our apprentices as they do from us.”