2027 Audit Industrial Placement programme

BDO UK; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 27,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

BDO UK offers an Audit Industrial Placement to turn university learning into real client experience. You’ll join our audit teams across locations such as Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, and more, contributing from day one and building a foundation for a future Graduate Programme.

The year-long placement starts Monday 20 September 2027 with a full induction, strong mentoring, and opportunities to sit professional exams.

Qualifications

• You are a second-year student on a four-year undergraduate degree seeking a third-year placement.
• On track for a minimum 2:2 degree (predicted or obtained).
• Right to work in the UK and GCSEs Maths/English (or equivalent).

Skills

Communication skills

Teamwork

Problem solving

Adaptability

Education

Second-year undergraduate student on a four-year degree (placement)

GCSE Maths and English (grade 4+) or Scottish Nat 5

Right to work in the UK

Job description

A Bit About Us

Big experience. Personal backing. That’s Beyond the Ordinary.

Ready to take what you’ve learned at university and put it into practice? Spend a year getting real experience with BDO on our Audit Industrial Placement – with the opportunity to build skills, work with clients and potentially return on our Graduate Programme.

The programme starts on Monday, 20th September 2027 for an organisation-wide induction (you need to be able to attend).

A Bit About Audit

In Audit, you’ll get involved in client work and be trusted with responsibility as your experience grows. And with 6,000+ people across the UK, you’ll be part of a team that brings together more expertise, perspectives and opportunities than you might expect. Our Audit teams work across specialist areas including Pension Audit, Public Sector, Not-for-Profit, Financial Services and Technology Risk Assurance, giving you the chance to see how different organisations work from the inside out.

You’ll learn by doing, build your confidence and find out what kind of work interests you. And you’ll have people around you to answer questions, give you feedback and help you make the most of your year.

It’s big experience with personal backing – and a year that could give you a head start on what comes next.

And a Bit About the Programme

Over your placement year, you’ll gain hands‑on Audit experience, working with clients and colleagues while developing your technical, commercial and relationship‑building skills.

Your placement can take you further towards becoming professionally qualified, during your year with BDO, you can:

• Sit three professional exams.
• Log six months of practical work experience with the relevant Professional Body.
• Return to BDO on the Graduate programme, and complete your remaining exams and training in 2.5 years, qualifying around six months sooner because of your placement experience.
• You can also apply to return to your placement team, with the chance to secure a graduate offer before your final year at uni.
• You’ll also get opportunities to work alongside experienced colleagues and senior leaders, contribute to client work and take on more as your confidence grows. Our placement students talked about being trusted early, having their ideas welcomed and getting opportunities to work directly with partners.

As for you

You’re curious, resilient and ready to try new things. You enjoy solving problems, thinking things through and putting what you’ve learned into practice.

You don’t need to arrive knowing everything. Bring your energy and willingness to get involved, and you’ll have experience, feedback and support to help you build from there.

What You Get In Return

Our benefits are designed to support your life in and outside of work, with options including additional leave, gym membership and employee discounts, alongside pension, health and wellbeing support and a range of protection benefits.

Join us in one of the following hubs – Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Gatwick, Glasgow, Ipswich, Leeds, London, Manchester, Nottingham, Reading or Southampton.

One thing to note: you’ll need to live within a commutable distance of the office you apply to. Relocation support is not provided, so please consider this carefully before applying. Time together in person matters – whether that’s in the office or with clients – for your learning, building relationships and getting the most from your placement.

Is it for you? To apply, you’ll need

• To be a second-year student on a four-year undergraduate degree, seeking a third-year work placement
• On track for a minimum 2:2 degree in any discipline (obtained or predicted)
• Three A-levels or equivalent at grades A*-C (excluding General Studies and Extended Projects) or four Scottish Advanced Highers at grade A-B. Please note: we do not use UCAS points. You'll be asked to provide evidence if you're successful in securing a placement with us
• GCSEs at grade 4 and above in Maths and English, or Scottish National 5 grade A-C. You’ll also need to provide evidence if successful
• The right to work in the UK

How The Interview Process Will Go

We want you to know what to expect, so here’s the typical process:

• Online application form.
• Online assessments.
• Video interview.
• Virtual assessment centre and interview.

We’ll keep you updated at each stage and share tips to help you prepare. And just so you know: we don’t use AI in any part of our candidate screening process. Every application is reviewed by a real person.

What You Get In Return

Our benefits are designed to support your life in and outside of work, with options including additional leave, gym membership and employee discounts, alongside pension, health and wellbeing support and a range of protection benefits.

Salary

£26,615 - £29,700 (depends on location)

Closing date for applications is Sunday 15th November 2026

Before you go

A year at BDO is a chance to do more than get a feel for working life. You’ll work with clients, take on responsibility, make progress towards a professional qualification and build experience that could count towards your future Graduate Programme. And while you’re getting stuck into all of that, you’ll have people around you to help you learn, build confidence and work out where you want to go next.

Big experience. Personal backing.

That’s Beyond the Ordinary.

Our organisation is distinctive because we preserve and build on the strengths of our culture and the characteristics that make us successful and different. We look for people from all kinds of backgrounds who share these same qualities.