The new arrivals include Kyle Gordon and Gemma Spence, who were both third-year placement students at Meston Reid & Co in 2018/19. Both attained first-class honours degrees in Accountancy and Finance from Aberdeen’s Robert Gordon University (RGU).

Another RGU accountancy and finance graduate, Cameron Cairns, will also be starting at Meston Reid next month, while James Chalmers, an accountancy and finance student at RGU, will undertake his third-year placement at the Aberdeen-based chartered accountant. Kyle, Gemma and Cameron will begin their Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS) exams at the firm.

Two other RGU students, Holly Gammack and Natasha Souter, joined the firm last year as part of an innovative Graduate Apprenticeship Scheme which sees students work for the practice as well as attending university to gain their degree in accountancy and finance. The apprenticeship is a collaboration between RGU, ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) and ICAS. Both Holly and Natasha passed their first-year exams.

Kendall Gibson recently completed her third-year placement and is expected to return to the firm next year after completing her degree in accountancy and finance at Robert Gordon University.

Mark Brown, audit, accounts and business assurance partner, said: “Meston Reid & Co has a long-standing commitment to supporting young people and we are pleased to be able to continue this investment in the next generation of accountants.”

Louise Smith, business services manager in the audit and accounts department, added: “We have an excellent record of developing young accountants and giving them the opportunity to carve out a career in the profession. All the new additions to the team will play their part in ensuring further success for Meston Reid & Co.”

Ms Smith was the company’s first student placement before going on to gain her accountancy and finance degree from RGU. The practice has accepted 26 placement students from Robert Gordon University’s accountancy and finance course in all but two of the past 22 years. The practice has also taken on graduates of the University of Aberdeen and graduates from other universities in the recent past.