Nicholls sees graduates as key to firm’s strength

Carole Nicholls, principal of Bristol-based Nicholls Stevens Financial Services, is planning to hire a fifth graduate.

Nicholls previously took on four recruits straight from university and aims to train them up as advisers.

Graduates at the firm divide their time between different departments, such as pensions and investments, to widen their experience, and have weekly in-house exam training sessions.

‘All the graduates I’ve taken on are doing well and doing their exams,’ said Nicholls. ‘What I’m trying to do is to build up the strength of the business for the future, so that if I fast forward five years, it will be full of young and highly qualified staff.’