Big ambitions. Small cohort. A career built to last.

Join the Shorts NexGen Graduate Programme 2027

This is where your career as a Chartered Accountant begins.  You'll join a small group of graduates, gain real client experience from your first few weeks and work towards the ICAEW ACA qualification, supported by people who genuinely want you to do well.

Read the job description

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with a request body that specifies how to map the columns of your import file to the associated CRM properties in HubSpot.... In the request JSON, define the import file details, including mapping the spreadsheet's columns to HubSpot data. Your request JSON should include the following fields:... entry for each column.

An award-winning place to start your career

Don't just take our word for it

A firm where people know your name

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with a request body that specifies how to map the columns of your import file to the associated CRM properties in HubSpot.... In the request JSON, define the import file details, including mapping the spreadsheet's columns to HubSpot data. Your request JSON should include the following fields:... entry for each column.

Why Shorts?

We've been around for over 135 years, but we're definitely not stuck in the past. We're an independent firm of Chartered Accountants and Business Advisers, working from Sheffield and Chesterfield with owner-managed businesses, growing companies and larger groups across a wide range of sectors.

We're friendly, we're ambitious and we look out for each other. And when we say you can progress here, we mean it.

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with a request body that specifies how to map the columns of your import file to the associated CRM properties in HubSpot.... In the request JSON, define the import file details, including mapping the spreadsheet's columns to HubSpot data. Your request JSON should include the following fields:... entry for each column.

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Your career starts here

The Programme
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Work towards ICAEW ACA qualifications

You'll learn on the job while studying towards your ICAEW ACA qualification, so what you learn for your exams starts to make sense in practice. We'll support your training, give you study leave and make sure you've always got people around you to ask for help. 

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Working with real clients, from the start

You won't spend your first year watching from the sidelines. You'll join client meetings, visit client sites and work alongside experienced colleagues, building your confidence and understanding of how different businesses really work.

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Experience beyond one team

You'll build experience across audit and year-end accounts, spend time working with our Owner Managed Business team and get exposure to tax alongside our specialists. It's a chance to understand the different areas of the firm while building a really strong foundation for your career.

Your development on NexGen

NexGen gives you a structured start to your career. You'll join alongside other graduates, develop against our Shorts Competency Framework and have a network of people around you to support your professional and technical development. 

Start alongside other graduates

You'll join as part of a graduate cohort, giving you a group of people at the same stage of their career to learn and develop alongside. 

Build skills beyond your ICAEW ACCA qualification

Your ICAEW ACA qualification develops your technical knowledge, while our Competency Framework supports your wider development at work. You'll build the professional skills and experience needed to take on more responsibility as your career progresses. 

Understand how you can progress

Our Competency Framework continues beyond the graduate programme, setting out the expectations at each level. This gives you a clear understanding of how your role can develop and what you'll need to demonstrate to progress. 

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Your route to Chartered Accountant

You'll work towards the ICAEW ACA qualification. It's 14 exams across three levels, and most people complete it in three to four years alongside their work. The latest version of the ICAEW ACA qualification is built around sustainability, technology and ethics, so you'll be learning what the profession needs next.

Along the way you'll also complete at least 30 units of ICAEW Specialised Learning: short, interactive courses that let you explore the areas that interest you most. 

1

➡️ Join NexGen

August 2027

Settle into the team first, then begin studying for your ICAEW ACA qualification alongside your work. 
2

Certificate Level

6 Exams

The fundamentals of business, finance and accounting, including a new Sustainability and Ethics exam. 
3

Professional Level

6 Exams

Deeper technical skills, with combined reporting and audit exams and a Fundamental Case Study. 
4

Advanced Level

2 Exams

Two case study exams that bring everything together: Technical and Strategic. 
5

🏆Chartered Accountant

Qualified

Your ICAEW ACA qualification complete, and a career that can take you anywhere.

 

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Study the ICAEW ACA qualification somewhere that's connected to the profession

As a NexGen graduate, you'll study towards the ICAEW ACA qualification through our training partner, First Intuition. Your studies are funded by Shorts, alongside paid study leave and support from our internal Learning & Development and Technical & Training teams.

Our connection with ICAEW goes beyond the qualification itself. Shorts Partner Howard Freeman is an elected member of ICAEW Council, its governing body, representing Sheffield, and is actively involved with ICAEW at both a local and national level.

 Exams can be tough, and not everyone passes every one first time. That's completely normal. We won't panic, and you'll get the support you need to get there. 

Grace's Journey

Grace joined us in our 2024 intake. 

grace_journey_link_card See Grace's journey
Grace Starkey (Small)
Accountancy and AI

"Will AI take my job? Will I actually learn anything?"

It's a fair question, and we'd ask it too. Technology is taking on more of the routine work, so the parts of the job that need a person matter more than ever: asking good questions, using your judgement and getting to know your clients. That's exactly what we'll help you get good at. 

Scenario work

 

Work through real situations, like a figure that doesn't add up, and talk through what you'd do and why. 

Shadowing

 

See how managers and partners handle clients, questions and tricky decisions 

Case studies

 

Learn from real, anonymised client work: what was spotted and what was missed. 

Checking the tools

Learn to review what software produces, spot what looks wrong and find out why 

Technology from day one

You'll build hands-on experience with the digital tools we use across the firm, including CaseWare and AlphaTax, while also learning how technologies such as Microsoft Copilot and Power BI are changing the way accountants work. We have a dedicated partner and digital team looking at how we use new technology, so you'll be learning somewhere that's thinking ahead.

The tools are changing. Judgement isn't. We'll teach you both.

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What's on offer

Support to qualify, and a life outside work

✔️ Fully funded ICAEW ACA qualification
 
Tuition, exam fees and paid study leave.
 
✔️ Early responsibility
 
Real work from day one, and genuine routes to promotion.
✔️ Mentors and managers
 
Ongoing support with your work, study and development.
 
✔️ Flexibility and wellbeing
 
Flexible working, social events and wellbeing initiatives.
✔️ Future-ready skills
 
Training on our software and AI tools, supported by our digital team.
 
✔️ More than a number
 
A small cohort and a supportive culture where people know you.
✔️ Flexible hours, no overtime and free cookies
Here's a snapshot of what being part of Team Shorts really looks like.
 
 
See all your Benefits
 
 
Who we're looking for
Graduates from any subject

We're looking for graduates who have achieved, or are on course for, a 2:1 or above in any degree subject. Your degree doesn't need to be related to accountancy, and no accounting knowledge is needed.

We also know grades don't tell the whole story. If you've worked alongside your studies or gained work experience while studying, tell us about it in your application and we'll consider your individual circumstances

2:1 or above, achieved or predicted
Any degree subject
No accounting knowledge needed
Work experience valued

Proactive

Embracing change

Open to new tools and ideas. You ask questions and use feedback.

Reliable

Personal responsibility

You own your work, plan your time and check before you hand over.

Leading

Delivering excellence

You take pride in accurate, well-prepared work.

Joined-up

Teamwork

You support others, communicate clearly and flag problems early.

Human

Client focus

You listen, stay professional and work out what people really need.

Curious

Judgement and curiosity

You spot what doesn't add up, and want to know how businesses grow.

Curious what life as a graduate at Shorts is really like?

We put Grace Starkey in the hot seat and asked the questions every grad wants answered. Here's what she had to say.

grace_quote_card (2) Read her thoughts in full
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How to apply

Your NexGen journey starts here

Four steps stand between you and a proper start to your career. Here's exactly what to expect.

1

Apply online

Fill in a short application form including 3 questions to help us understand more about you. You can upload your CV and any supporting documents.

Apply Now

2 

Meet Laura

Within 5 working days, we'll let you know if you've made it through to a relaxed Teams call with Laura Collins, our Talent Acquisition Manager. It's a friendly conversation to get to know you and answer any questions you have.

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3

Show us how you think

If your call goes well, we'll invite you to complete short online numerical and verbal reasoning tests. We'll send practice material first, so you can go in prepared.

4

Final interview

Join Laura and James Snipe, our Audit and Accounts Senior Manager, in Sheffield for around 90 minutes. Beforehand, you'll complete a short personality questionnaire so we can get to know you better. We aim to make offers soon after. 

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Using AI in your appliction

You're welcome to use AI to help plan or check your writing, just as you would at work. The experiences and views must be yours.

Need any adjustments?

Just tell us at any stage, and we'll talk through what would help you show your best. 

Key dates

 

Applications open 29 October 2026
Apply by Friday 13 November 2026
Final interviews

Throughout
November 2026
Start date August 2027

To be considered for November interviews, apply by Friday 13 November. We review applications as they arrive, so the sooner you apply, the better. If our places fill, we'll update this page and let everyone still in the process know straight away.

 

 
 

 

Key details

 

Role  Audit and Accounts Assistant (Trainee Chartered Accountant) 
Location   Sheffield and Chesterfield 
 Contract   Permanent, with fully funded study for your professional qualification 
 Hours   37.5 hours a week, full time 
 Hybrid working   Options after your settling-in period 
 Driving   Full UK licence preferred, for travelling to and from clients 

 


 

FAQs

Questions you might be asking

What will I actually be doing as a graduate?

You'll get stuck into real client work from the start.

You'll work across Audit and Accounts, helping with audits and year-end accounts, while also gaining exposure to corporation tax and spending time with our Owner Managed Business (OMB) team. You'll work with everyone from owner-managed businesses and growing companies to larger corporate groups across a range of sectors.

As you develop, you'll take on more responsibility, from analysing financial information and solving problems to communicating with clients and contributing to meetings.

What's the work-life balance like at Shorts?

We want you to work hard and build a brilliant career, but we don't believe that consistently working long hours is healthy or helps people perform at their best.

Everyone has priorities and a life outside work, and we think that matters. That's why you can start your day any time between 8am and 9.30am, and we don't work weekends.

There will naturally be busy periods as you balance client work and studying for your ICAEW ACA qualification, but we want you to have time to switch off too. Happy, supported people do better work, and that ultimately means happier clients too.

What are the benefits of joining an independent firm?

At Shorts, being independent means we can make decisions around our clients, our people and the kind of firm we want to be.

For you, that means joining a firm that's big enough to give you variety, challenge and structured development, but small enough for people to know who you are. You'll work with experienced colleagues, managers and partners, build real client relationships and see how different parts of a business fit together, rather than feeling like a small part of a very large machine.

Will my qualification be the same as at a larger firm?

Yes. You'll work towards the ICAEW ACA qualification, with your training fully funded by Shorts. You'll combine professional study with practical experience from the start, supported by your managers, mentors and our Learning and Development team.

So you're working towards a highly respected professional qualification while building real experience alongside it.

Will I get exposure to interesting clients?

Absolutely. You'll work with a varied client base, from owner-managed businesses and growing companies through to larger corporate groups.

You'll have opportunities to understand businesses properly, speak to clients and see how the advice we give makes a difference. And because our teams work closely together, you'll also see how areas such as Audit, Accounts, Tax and Corporate Finance connect.

Will I get noticed in a smaller firm?

Yes, and that's one of the things we're proud of.

You'll be part of a small graduate cohort rather than one of hundreds of new starters. People will know your name, understand what you're working towards and notice the progress you're making.

Our partners and directors are visible and approachable, and you'll have opportunities to learn directly from experienced people across the firm.

Can I use AI in my application?

Yes, to help you plan or check your writing. But the experiences and views must be yours, and we'll talk through your answers with you later. 

Apply now

Begin your journey with us today.

Drop us a line to see how we can help your business thrive

Download our brochure

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with a request body that specifies how to map the columns of your import file to the associated CRM properties in HubSpot.... In the request JSON, define the import file details, including mapping the spreadsheet's columns to HubSpot data. Your request JSON should include the following fields:... entry for each column.