Recognising a deficit in foundational skills such as team cooperation and project management among these new hires, the firm is set to intensify focus on nurturing “soft skills”.

The revised training scheme will feature classes designed to enhance abilities in areas such as in-person presentation delivery and teamwork. KPMG is also keen to minimise the usage of virtual lessons in the graduates’ accounting qualifications, instead advocating for increased face-to-face learning experiences and office presence.

These moves come in response to growing apprehensions over the impact of COVID lockdowns on students’ development, an issue shared by other “big four” firms like Deloitte and PwC, both of which have implemented supplementary coaching for their junior staff, Business Insider reports.

Jon Holt, chief executive of KPMG UK, said: “There’s no doubt that the pandemic has impacted recent graduates and apprentices. If I think back to my own time at university, it’s hard to imagine how my experiences – including the friendships I formed – might have been affected by lockdowns.”

This strategic adjustment to graduate training by KPMG signifies a wider industry shift towards addressing the “lockdown generation’s” challenges and nurturing their professional growth in a post-pandemic world.