Ballards
TAX | AUDIT | CONSULTANCY
Audit Placement Year Student - 2027
Understand businesses. Challenge the numbers. Build your career.
Location
Worcester / Droitwich
Placement
One-year university placement
Opportunity
Potential permanent return offer following strong performance
If you’re curious about what makes a business really work, Audit gives you a front-row seat.
At Ballards, you’ll work with real clients from day one, getting to know organisations from the inside out. You’ll learn how to understand financial information, assess risks, ask the right questions and build the confidence to challenge the numbers - gaining meaningful experience as part of your university placement year.
Why Ballards?
You’ll be joining an ambitious, growing independent firm where you can build relationships, take on meaningful responsibility and learn directly from experienced professionals.
And you’ll be learning from an award-winning team. In 2026, Ballards was named Audit Team of the Year at the Accounting Excellence Awards, recognising the strength of our people and the way we work with our clients.
For a placement student, that means the opportunity to spend a year learning alongside a team recognised as one of the best in the profession, gaining real experience, building your confidence and developing the foundations for your future career.
What you’ll do
- Work on live audit assignments across a range of clients and industries.
- Learn how businesses operate, from their financial reporting and systems to their risks and controls.
- Carry out audit testing, review financial information and investigate what sits behind the numbers.
- Work directly with clients and build professional relationships from the start.
- Develop your technical knowledge while gaining the commercial understanding that turns an auditor into a trusted adviser.
What you’ll get
- A structured placement year with real responsibility and hands-on learning
- Enhanced induction and internal training programme to support your development from day one
- Real client experience from day one
- Mentoring, feedback and structured career development
- Flexible hybrid working
- 25 days’ holiday plus bank holidays
- Pension, life assurance and Employee Assistance Programme
- Electric Car and Cycle to Work schemes
- Enhanced family leave
Who we’re looking for:
You don’t need previous audit experience. We’re looking for placement students who are curious, analytical, ambitious, comfortable working with people and ready to learn.
You’ll be studying toward a degree that includes a placement year and be on track to achieve a minimum 2:1. You’ll bring strong attention to detail, good communication skills and the confidence to ask questions and take ownership of your development.
It’s about who you become along the way.
You’ll join a supportive, collaborative environment where your ideas are valued, your development is guided and your responsibility grows with you.
Ready to move your career forward?
If you want a placement year where you can gain meaningful real-world experience and understand businesses beyond the surface, we’d love to hear from you. Students who perform well during their placement may have the opportunity to return to Ballards permanently after completing their degree.
Apply today to start your placement journey with Ballards.
Skills Required
- Currently studying toward a degree that includes a university placement year
- On track to achieve a minimum 2:1 degree classification
- Strong attention to detail
- Good communication skills
- Analytical, curious, and ambitious approach
- Confidence to ask questions and take ownership of development
- Previous audit experience
What We Do
Ballards LLP: Innovative Accountancy and Business Advisory Ballards LLP is a forward-thinking accountancy and business advisory firm with a rich history of delivering value to our clients. Established in 1985, we've grown from a local practice to a significant player in the professional services landscape, now serving OMBs and large corporates across the UK and internationally. At Ballards, we offer a unique blend of traditional accountancy services and innovative business solutions. Our expertise spans audit, tax, and compliance, complemented by specialist advisory services in IT consulting, recruitment, brand and marketing, and strategy. We pride ourselves on our agile approach, combining the stability and expertise our clients expect with the innovative thinking that sets us apart. Our team of professionals is dedicated to providing personalised, value-driven solutions that help our clients navigate complex financial landscapes and achieve their business goals. As we look to the future, we're committed to expanding our geographical reach, enhancing our service offerings, and continuing to be a trusted partner to businesses across the UK.
