Level 7 Chartered Pathway Programme (Start Ahead) - Trainee Accountant / Tax Adviser

Department: Business Services

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: Carlisle

Description

Start Ahead

Earn a salary. Gain professional qualifications. Build real experience from day one.

Build something exceptional with us...

Our ambition is clear and openly bold.

Armstrong Watson is on a journey to more than double our turnover by 2030, through disciplined organic growth, the attraction of outstanding talent and the selective acquisition of like-minded firms.

But growth alone is not the goal.

Reputation is.

And reputation is earned, not inherited.

Our intent is simple to say and hard to deliver: to become the most respected adviser to privately owned businesses in the North and the UK.

The firm business owners talk about.

The firm lawyers and bankers recommend without hesitation.

To achieve that, we're building the best Accounting and Financial Advisory firm to deal with, not just in the North, but across the UK. Exceptional service, deep expertise, trusted relationships and absolute reliability define everything we do.

These aren't slogans. They're standards.

At our core, we exist for one reason: to help our clients achieve prosperity, a secure future and peace of mind.

Our strategy sets the direction. Our people, values-led culture and standards will deliver it.

That's where you come in…

The Role

Start your professional career while others are still deciding theirs.

Start Ahead is our Early Careers pathway for ambitious students who want to earn, learn and build a respected professional career from day one.

We’re now recruiting for our Level 7 Chartered Pathway Programme. We are seeking ambitious individuals to join our six-year programme, commencing in September 2027.

It's a structured six-year programme, designed to give you real experience, fully funded globally recognised professional qualifications, a full salary and a clear route towards Level 7 professional qualification, which is master's degree equivalent.

This isn't simply a job. It's a serious opportunity for people who want to build something meaningful with their career.

You'll work with real clients. You'll learn how businesses operate. You'll develop technical knowledge, commercial understanding, communication skills and professional confidence. You'll be supported by experienced colleagues, mentors and training providers while progressing through a clear development pathway.

Recognised as one of The Sunday Times Best Places to work in 2025 and 2026 and The Sunday Times Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers for five consecutive years, we're proud of our track record in developing trainees and supporting people at the start of their professional careers.

What you'll gain

Over the programme, you'll:

Earn a full salary while completing your studies and professional exams
Gain fully funded globally recognised professional qualifications
Progress to a Level 7 qualification, equivalent to a Master's degree
Work towards Chartered Accountant or Chartered Tax Adviser status
Avoid university debt
Build real client experience from the start
Gain exposure across different teams and service lines
Develop the communication, teamwork, problem-solving and professional skills that build trusted advisers

Your pathway

You'll follow one of two clear routes.

Accountancy Pathway

You'll study AAT Levels 3 and 4, followed by ACA, leading to Chartered Accountant status.

You'll gain experience across:

Business Services
Audit & Assurance
Tailored placements across the firm

Taxation Pathway

You'll study AAT Level 3, followed by ATT and CTA, leading to Chartered Tax Adviser status.

You'll gain experience across:

Personal Tax
Corporate Tax
Tailored placements within other tax specialisms

With either pathway, as your skills grow, you may also gain experience across areas such as Corporate Finance and Financial Advisory, helping you understand the breadth of advice we provide to clients.

What life on the programme looks like

You'll spend your first two years developing strong technical and professional foundations through structured learning, qualifications and support.

From there, you'll build broader experience through placements across the business. You will be placed in one of our regional offices in Glasgow, Carlisle, Newcastle, Leeds or Manchester, this will become your home office and normal place of work, when not visiting clients, after the initial two years.

Visiting clients on location is a key part of the role. You don't need a driving licence when you start, but successful candidates should be willing to learn to drive within 3 months of joining the firm if they don't already hold a full UK driving licence, and after the first two years, you'll be expected to have access to your own vehicle.

You won't be doing this alone.

You'll join a cohort of trainees starting their professional careers alongside you, with support from colleagues, mentors, training providers and the wider Armstrong Watson team. You’ll become part of our trainee community.

Who we're looking for

We're looking for people who want more than the next step.

People who care about standards, professionalism, learning, relationships and doing work they're proud to put their name to.

What matters is that you're ambitious, motivated and ready to learn.

You don't need previous accounting knowledge. You don't need advanced maths skills. This programme is designed to develop your technical knowledge from the ground up, while also helping you build the professional skills that matter in business: communication, teamwork, confidence, judgement and relationship-building.

We're looking for people who will:

Bring energy, enthusiasm and a genuine desire to learn and succeed
Take pride in the quality of their work and always strive to do the right thing
Build trust through their actions, reliability and professionalism
Communicate confidently and develop strong relationships with colleagues and clients
Show curiosity, take ownership and look for practical solutions to challenges
Embrace opportunities to learn, grow and contribute to the success of the wider team
Demonstrate a positive, can-do attitude and a willingness to go beyond what's expected
Treat others with respect, kindness and professionalism, supporting those around them to succeed

Entry Requirements

You'll need:

A minimum of 96 UCAS points obtained from A Levels or equivalent Level 3 qualifications across a maximum of three subjects, or from Scottish Highers / Advanced Highers across a maximum of five subjects
A minimum of 7 GCSEs or 6 National Fives at Grade 5 (C) or above (or equivalent), including Maths, English and at least one science
To be at least 18 years of age by 31 August 2027

If you've already completed a degree, or you're due to graduate in 2027, please apply for our Graduate Chartered Accountant or Chartered Tax Adviser positions instead.

Sponsorship Visas - Please note before applying for one of these vacancies, we are not a registered employer, therefore we are unable to offer sponsorship to candidates.

Key dates

Assessment centres are expected to take place from late February onwards, with full details provided to shortlisted candidates. A structured training programme will be provided during the first few weeks to help you settle into the role. As full participation is required, we are unable to authorise annual leave during your first few weeks of employment.

Successful candidates will join in September 2027.

The Benefits

In return for your commitment and contribution, we'll provide:

A competitive salary with progressive increases
Fully funded professional qualifications
Paid study leave and training support
A structured development programme, including technical and professional skills
Support from experienced colleagues, mentors and training providers

You'll also benefit from:

21 days annual leave plus bank holidays, increasing with service
Annual leave purchase scheme
Health Shield Cash Plan
Employee Assistance Programme
Paid professional subscriptions
Referral and reward schemes
Regular social events and recognition initiatives

Why join Armstrong Watson?

We're building something exceptional.

And we're looking for exceptional people to help build it.

If you're ambitious, motivated and ready to challenge yourself, we'll give you the opportunity, support and experience to build a career most people won't start until years later.

Over the next six years, you'll gain professional qualifications, build meaningful experience and develop the skills that turn talented individuals into trusted advisers.

The question isn't where you'll start. It's where this opportunity could take you.

Start Ahead.

Earn a salary. Gain professional qualifications. Build real experience from day one.

The Role

Who we're looking for

The Benefits

About Armstrong Watson