Professional services firms sell expertise. They check companies’ accounts (audit), give advice on tax and law, and help organisations solve business and technology problems. As an apprentice you’d usually work towards a professional qualification while working with clients and colleagues.
The big thing about this industry is that the route to becoming fully qualified is long, but you get paid the whole way. KPMG’s audit apprenticeship takes five years and ends with the ACA (or CA in Scotland), and Deloitte’s Level 7 accountancy routes take 48 months.
What to check
- Which professional qualification a programme leads to, and how long it takes.
- Where you’d be based. Firms often recruit for particular offices, and some programmes are different in different places.
- Whether there’s a degree. Some programmes, like KPMG’s and Deloitte’s technology routes, include a bachelor’s degree. Others focus on a professional qualification instead.
EY is the third firm we’ve researched. It runs school leaver apprenticeships across assurance, consulting, strategy and tax, and Ofsted rates its Level 7 apprenticeships outstanding. Like many firms, it doesn’t publish pay before an offer.
Banks run apprenticeships too. Barclays pays all its apprentices £25,200 from day one, with two-year Level 3 and 4 apprenticeships for people with GCSEs and degree apprenticeships of up to three or four years for people with A levels.
Types of work and careers
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Audit and assurance
Checking that organisations' financial information is accurate and reliable.
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Tax and law
Helping organisations and people understand and meet their tax and legal obligations.
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Consulting
Advising organisations on how to solve problems and improve how they work.
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Business and finance support
Administration, finance and operational roles that keep a firm running.
Compare Finance and professional services apprenticeships
A quick side-by-side of what each employer publishes. Pick a level to see what each employer offers at that level, and open a profile for the full details and sources.
All employers
| Employer | Levels | Length | Pay | Entry requirements | Where |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barclays | Up to 2 years (Level 3–4); up to 3–4 years (degree) | £25,200 | 5 GCSEs at grades 9–5 incl. maths and English; A levels or Highers for degree routes | Offices including Canary Wharf, Glasgow and Radbroke Hall, plus hybrid working | |
| Deloitte UK | Up to 48 months | Not published | Not published | 21 UK locations | |
| EY UK | Not published | Not published until an offer | GCSE English and maths at grade 4, plus 3 A levels or 5 Highers | EY UK offices | |
| KPMG UK | 4–5 years | £23,000–£28,000 | 5 GCSEs (English and maths at grade 5) plus 120 UCAS points | 19 UK locations |
Advanced apprenticeships (Level 3)
| Employer | Programmes at this level | Length | Pay | Entry requirements |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barclays | 1 programme Level 3 and 4 apprenticeships | Up to 2 years | £25,200 | 5 GCSEs at grades 9–5 incl. maths and English; A levels or Highers for degree routes |
| Deloitte UK | 1 programme Business Administration Apprenticeship (entry level) | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| KPMG UK | 1 programme Audit Apprenticeship | 5 years | £25,500–£28,000 | 5 GCSEs (English and maths at grade 5) plus 120 UCAS points |
Higher apprenticeships (Levels 4–5)
| Employer | Programmes at this level | Length | Pay | Entry requirements |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barclays | 2 programmes Level 3 and 4 apprenticeships; Higher and degree apprenticeships | Up to 2 years; Up to 3–4 years | £25,200 | 5 GCSEs at grades 9–5 incl. maths and English; A levels or Highers for degree routes |
| Deloitte UK | 3 programmes Accounting Technician Apprenticeship (entry level); CIMA Cert BA and Data Analyst apprenticeships and 1 more | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| KPMG UK | 1 programme Audit Apprenticeship | 5 years | £25,500–£28,000 | 5 GCSEs (English and maths at grade 5) plus 120 UCAS points |
Degree apprenticeships (Levels 6–7)
| Employer | Programmes at this level | Length | Pay | Entry requirements |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barclays | 1 programme Higher and degree apprenticeships | Up to 3–4 years | £25,200 | 5 GCSEs at grades 9–5 incl. maths and English; A levels or Highers for degree routes |
| Deloitte UK | 4 programmes Digital and Technology Solutions Professional Apprenticeship; Project Manager Degree Apprenticeship and 2 more | 36 months (advisory route); 48 months | Not published | Not published |
| EY UK | 2 programmes Level 7 apprenticeships; Degree Apprenticeship | Not published | Not published | GCSE English and maths at grade 4, plus 3 A levels or 5 Highers |
| KPMG UK | 3 programmes Audit Apprenticeship; Audit Digital and Technology Degree Apprenticeship and 1 more | 5 years; 4 years | £25,500–£28,000; £23,000–£25,000 | 5 GCSEs (English and maths at grade 5) plus 120 UCAS points |
Key figures
- Length of KPMG's audit apprenticeship, ending with the ACA (or CA in Scotland)
- 5 years
- Source: KPMG careers (opens in a new tab)
- BrightStart apprentices in Deloitte UK's 2026 early careers intake
- 182
- Source: Deloitte UK press release (opens in a new tab)
- KPMG audit apprenticeship salary, depending on programme and location
- £25,500–£28,000
- Source: KPMG careers (opens in a new tab)
Summary
- Professional services apprenticeships often lead to professional qualifications like the ACA, CA, AAT or CIMA.
- Getting fully qualified takes a while: KPMG's audit apprenticeship and Deloitte's accountancy routes take four to five years.
- Programmes are often different between offices and nations, so check what's offered where you want to work.
Employers we profile in this industry
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Barclays
The UK bank. It pays apprentices £25,200 from day one, with two-year Level 3 and 4 apprenticeships for people with GCSEs, and higher and degree apprenticeships of up to three or four years for people with A levels or Highers.
Industry: Finance and professional services, Digital and technology -
Deloitte UK
A professional services firm that took on 182 BrightStart apprentices in 2026. Its apprenticeships go from Level 3 business admin to 48-month Level 7 accountancy programmes with the ACA, across advisory, audit, consulting, tax and internal teams.
Industry: Finance and professional services, Digital and technology -
EY UK
One of the Big Four professional services firms, working in assurance, consulting, strategy and tax. Its school leaver apprenticeships include Level 7 routes rated outstanding by Ofsted, and it asks for GCSE English and maths plus three A levels.
Industry: Finance and professional services -
KPMG UK
A professional services firm with apprenticeships in audit, tax and law, consulting, tech and business admin. Audit apprentices earn £25,500 to £28,000 and become chartered accountants in five years.
Industry: Finance and professional services, Digital and technology
Sources and review
Last reviewed . Details can change after this date, so check the official source before you rely on them.