ACCA UK – Levelling the skills and talent playing field with the Migrant Leaders initiative

ACCA UK’s encouraging applications from across the accountancy sector to apply to Migrant Leaders’ innovative programme for career success and leadership.

ACCA UK (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) has teamed up with UK charity Migrant Leaders to help find and develop the next generation of talent for the accountancy profession.

Migrant Leaders inspires and develops disadvantaged young people across the UK to broaden their horizons and capture opportunities well beyond their aspirations, and provide bespoke support to give them the knowledge, skills and confidence to enter and take on leadership roles in major public and private sector organisations.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and founder of the charity, Elham Fardad is an ACCA member and says: ‘In the UK, disadvantaged graduates earn half as much as privileged peers in their first job. It’s time we turn education into tangible career success and progression by levelling the playing field. I am immensely proud to be part of the partnership between Migrant Leaders and ACCA UK, an organisation that has certainly played a key role in my own finance and leadership career.’

Claire Bennison, head of ACCA UK says: ‘Migrant Leaders has a real commitment to inclusion and tackling social mobility. It’s inspirational to be working with them on their mission to support young people from all backgrounds to access quality education and careers provision to improve their life chances. We’d certainly encourage eligible ACCA students apply as the programme’s benefits are tangible.’

Applicants must be aged 16-25 and meet other eligibility criteria including currently or previously being in state education, and either they or at least one of their parents must have migrated to the UK, or as a non-migrant they must be from a disadvantaged background of any ethnicity.

Claire Bennison concludes: ‘Successful candidates will have access to mentors and quality work connections as well as engaging online modules, resources and workshops to help them raise their aspirations and fulfil their true potential. The range of programme mentors is exceptional, with expertise across the financial, professional services and various other industry sectors.’

Find out more about Migrant Leaders here: Migrant Leaders

Link to the programme page and mentee testimonials: Programme (migrantleaders.org.uk)