BDO has expanded its summer insight programme. Amid rising concern in the media about the number of people below 24 years old not in education, training or employment, the firm will raise its intake to more than 1,100 places.
With more than 1 million people aged between 16 and 24 now falling into ‘NEET’ status – not in employment, education or training – talk of a youth employment crisis is mounting in the UK press. With talk around AI making junior staff ‘obsolete’, a worsening economic picture leading companies to scale back recruitment, and graduate debt putting wary would-be students off of higher education, the government and private sector are scrambling to demonstrate a solution.
To that end, BDO has expanded its summer insight programme for young people, with more than 1,100 places available across the UK as part of the firm’s continued commitment to improving access to the accountancy profession. The programme will deliver 20 in-person Insight Days this summer, giving school, college and university students aged 16 and over the opportunity to gain valuable experience and learn about what a career in professional services could look like.
Students will participate in interactive workshops, employability skills training, networking opportunities and social impact activities at a BDO office local to them. As part of its commitment to developing its people, the sessions will be run by BDO’s first year trainees across audit, tax, deals, and consulting, risk and outsourcing teams. The programme is designed not only to support students but also help BDO’s early career colleagues develop leadership, team building skills and community engagement skills through the firm’s citizenship initiatives.
Louise Sayers, head of people, culture and purpose at BDO, said, “The transition from education into the workplace can feel overwhelming for many young people, particularly those who may not have access to professional networks or workplace experience through family or personal connections. These Insight Days are designed to help young people better understand the opportunities available to them, build confidence and meet people who have already started their careers in the profession. We’re also incredibly proud that our own trainees are leading these sessions. It’s important that students can see relatable role models and hear first-hand experiences from people at their beginning of their own career journeys.”
The programme supports the firm’s wider commitment to improving diversity and social mobility within the profession. It comes as new findings from BDO’s Young Minds 2026: The Unequal Advantage report show continuing gaps in access to work experience, careers advice and professional networks, specifically for young people from lower socio-economic backgrounds.
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