Business advisory and accountancy practice MHA is the UK member firm of the Baker Tilly International network and the 13th largest accountancy practice in the UK. The company has sponsored the Insight to Business Awards, organised annually by the university, on the past four occasions.
The sponsorship sees second and third year students from the university’s Business School submit their CVs and take part in a professional interview to compete for a two-week work placement at the firm, with the winner revealed at the awards ceremony.
The links between MHA and the university’s students as a result of the awards have led to four participating graduates being offered permanent roles in the firm’s accountancy, audit and finance teams since 2022.
This year’s Business Awards took place in April at the university’s Hope Park Campus, with 2025’s winner Rory Cooper, a third year Mathematics and Accounting and Finance student, set to undertake his two-week work placement with the firm this June.
Richard Tyler, senior professional tutor and subject lead for Accounting and Finance at Liverpool Hope University’s Business School, said: “The accountancy sector is always changing and modernising, making it vital that education institutions have strong links with the industry to give students the best possible chance to succeed after graduating.
“The Liverpool Hope Insight to Business Awards gives all our partners, including MHA, the opportunity to meet our talented students and it is inspiring to see that so many of these students have grasped this opportunity to thrive in their post-university careers at MHA.”
Jake May, currently audit semi senior at MHA, took part in the awards in 2023, while studying Accounting and Finance. Despite being runner up on the night, Jake impressed in his awards interview and was invited to the firm’s assessment centre for its graduate scheme and then offered a role as audit assistant after graduating in summer 2023.
The winner of the MHA category that year was Chloe Wetton, who took part in the awards as a second year undergraduate, studying Accounting and Finance with Psychology. She consequently joined the firm as an audit junior in September 2024.
Chloe said: “The awards confirmed for me that audit was a field that I wanted to develop my career in, and the placement I was awarded highlighted MHA as a brilliant place to start my career.
“After completing university, it was important to me to work in a positive, collaborative environment to develop my experience. I have felt very welcomed and supported since starting with MHA. Every apprentice and graduate is assigned a ‘buddy’, who can answer any questions about the role, career development and other areas.”
Chloe added that colleagues have helped her with starting her Associate Chartered Accountant (ACA) qualifications, which she is now in the process of completing.
The other participants in the awards who have subsequently taken up permanent roles with the firm are Ben Clark, winner of the 2024 award, and Andrew Nelson, runner up of the 2022 awards.
Last year, MHA welcomed a record 214 new apprentices and graduates as part of a record trainee intake nationally, including 50 across the North West. This year, the firm filled all places for its trainee intake in record time.
Nicola said: “The strong links with education providers and other organisations we have mean that we experience strong demand for early career roles, particularly in recent years. As a result of our continued growth, we’ve been able to support this with a record intake for the past three consecutive years.”
The application portal for the 2026 trainee intake will be made live in September this year and those currently considering a career with MHA are urged to check MHA’s dedicated careers page for regular updates with places expected to again fill quickly: MHA | Careers