Discovery Work Experience programme
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Sign up to hear first when we open Learn about our inclusive cultureWhy a Discovery work experience programme at KPMG?
Our Discovery Work Experience programme has been designed with students like you in mind – aspiring, curious and enthusiastic. As well as giving you the chance to gain an invaluable overview of the professional services sector, this programme will give you an excellent insight into the work we do, our culture and people – and provide you with some interactive learning opportunities to enhance your employability skills.
The programme is available for students finishing Year 13 in 2025 or have already finished Year 13 and are looking to start an apprenticeship in autumn 2025, this is the perfect chance to discover if KPMG is the place for you. You’ll get to interact face to face with other students, participate in workshops to develop some of the key skills you’ll need to thrive, whilst meeting colleagues from across the firm along the way.
Upon completion of your Discovery experience you will also be given the chance to get ahead through the recruitment process for one of our Apprenticeship Programmes (subject to meeting the requirements, details of our current available programmes and criteria can be found here).
This paid in-person programme will run across three days and you will be invited to join us in one of our KPMG offices for the duration. You will have the opportunity to meet with our current KPMG apprentices, graduates and senior leaders; who will share their experiences as well as giving you the opportunity to develop your understanding of a career in business.
Our Discovery work experience programme will run during October half term in the following office locations:
28th – 30th October 2024
- Bristol – 66 Queen Square, Bristol, BS1 4BE
- Manchester – 1, St Peter’s Square, Manchester, M2 3AE
30th October – 1st November 2024
- Birmingham – 1 Snow Hill Queensway, Birmingham, B4 6GH
- London – 15, Canada Square, London, E14 5GL
At KPMG we value the opportunity to meet you in person and want to reduce the barriers to travel. Therefore, where possible for the Discovery programme, we will book and pay for your train travel upfront on your behalf (up to £100 per day) and lunch will be provided (overnight stays will not be covered). In addition, you will be paid a salary equivalent to the living wage.
Further details on booking travel will be shared should you made an offer onto the programme. Please ensure you live within a two-hour commutable distance to the office location you have applied to.
Your future is every bit as important to us as it is to you – that’s why our aim is to provide you with meaningful experiences that last a lifetime.
Programme summary
Programme overview
Capability: N/A
Programme length: 3 days
Qualifications: N/A
What we look for
At KPMG, everyone brings a unique perspective, and we want to ensure that you have the best opportunity to demonstrate your potential. We’ve designed our application process to assess everyone’s potential in the context of their educational and personal circumstances to ensure that you have the skills to succeed at KPMG.
You’ll generally be expected to demonstrate or be on track for the following (*or equivalents). However, if you do not meet all the below, and are a few grades or points short, then we would still encourage you to apply, as you will be given the option to provide additional information that enables us to assess your application and potential in the context of your socio-economic background and/or any extenuating circumstances. You can find out more here.
- 5 GCSEs* at A* – C or at 4 – 9 (inc. English Language and Maths at Grade B or 5), or for Scotland 5 National 5 qualifications at Grades A – C (inc. English Language and Maths at Grade B or equivalent)
- 120 UCAS points* from your ‘top’ 3 grades, excluding General Studies under the 2017 tariff point system at A Level (300 UCAS points pre-2017) or at Higher/Advanced Higher Level for Scotland.
You will also need to meet the Access Accountancy criteria in order to make an application to the KPMG Discovery programme. This initiative supports young people from low-income families to have access to the accountancy profession. You will need to:
- Attend state school or college, and
- The occupation of your main household earner when you were aged 14 is categorised as a lower socio-economic background*, or
- Be eligible (or have been eligible) for free school meals (or attend a school with ‘above regional average’ free school meals**), or
- Would be the first member of your immediate family to attend university.
*Parental occupation classification is a national standard and the Social Mobility Work’s toolkit (found here) provides details on the categorisations.
**Free School Meals are a statutory benefit available to school-aged children from families who receive other qualifying benefits and who have been through the relevant registration process. It does not include those who receive meals at school through other means e.g. boarding school.
Key skills
Throughout the programme we will be looking for you to demonstrate and reflect on the strengths that we look for at KPMG.
To get the most out of Discovery you’ll need to be curious, ask questions, and be enthusiastic to learn and develop.
We are looking for individuals who can spot new opportunities and have the initiative and resilience to make the most of them.
Training and development
As the Discovery programme isn't that long, your focus will be to make sure every second of the experience counts. It's an opportunity to learn new skills, learn about the world of work, gain an insight into KPMG and most importantly, get your foot in the door of one of the UK's leading professional services firms.
Additional important information
At KPMG, we recognise that we need Inclusion, Diversity and Social Equality to be successful. We want to attract, retain and develop diverse talent at all levels. This means recruiting from the widest possible pool of talent, removing barriers that can prevent our people from reaching their full potential, and fostering a fully inclusive environment which maximises collaboration and empowers everyone at KPMG to bring their whole selves to work. You can learn more about our People & Culture or explore some of our people stories here.
Please note if, following the Discovery programme, you are interested in submitting a future application to one of our Apprenticeship Programmes you will need to meet the minimum criteria. For further information please visit our application support page.
Our one stage application process is a virtual one, designed to support you in showing us your potential. If you need any additional support during the application process e.g. extra time, please let us know within the appropriate sections of your application. You'll find information on help, advice and adjustments here.
International students
To find out more information about applying as an International Student, click here.
Is KPMG right for me?
At KPMG, we run a strengths-based recruitment process. A strength is something that you do regularly, you do it well and when you are doing it, it energises you. Watch the video to hear more about what we look for.