Uptree

What is KPMG One+1?

KPMG have been committed to improving social mobility for over a decade and are extremely proud to be leading in this space. 

Their One+1 Social Mobility Programme offers a work placement to one student who does not have a personal connection to KPMG every time the company agrees to host a contact of a KPMG employee.

This is a unique opportunity to gain individual experience at KPMG and to see what it's really like to work at one of the world's top professional services firms.

How it works

The One+1 Social Mobility Programme provides work shadowing between 1-5 days across various KPMG office locations and throughout different areas of their business. 

Most placements will include up to 2 students + 1 KPMG host but this can vary depending on programme dates, host schedules and local office capacities. 

Students will be offered places according to their locations and the business areas they are interested in, for example audit, tax, deal advisory, business support, technology, law or consulting. Find out more information about these business areas here.

Dates, lengths, business areas and locations of placements will vary throughout the year, depending on KPMG business needs. Uptree will contact students who meet the below criteria when dates are set by KPMG, and eligible students will be confirmed on a first come, first served basis.

Note: There is no event on 29th August, 2025 - this is a placeholder date for sign up purposes. Specific dates and locations of each placement will be confirmed by Uptree directly with successful students, although 29/08/25 is what will show in your Uptree profile if you secure a space on this programme. 

By applying to this opportunity you will be registering your interest in the KPMG One+1 Social Mobility Programme and will be contacted by Uptree when a placement is being offered in your location and preferred business area.

What you'll get

• Insight into the work done by KPMG
• Direct shadowing experience of a current KPMG employee
• Unique, individual experience to add to your CV 
• Lunch on days you are in the office
• Up to £50 travel reimbursement upon successful completion of your placement 
• A certificate of achievement upon completion of the programme cycle (summer 2025)

Eligibility criteria

You must be:

• Aged 16-17 at the time of the placement
• Able and willing to travel to the KPMG office hosting the placement
• Have not previously participated in a One+1 placement

In addition you must:

• Attend state school or college, and
• The occupation of your main household earner when you were aged 14 is categorised as a working class background occupation*, or
• Be eligible (or have been eligible) for free school meals (or attend a school with ‘above regional average’ free school meals), or
• Your immediate family did not attend university.

*Parental occupation classification is a national standard and the Social Mobility Commission's toolkit (found here) provides details on the categorisations.

About KPMG

KPMG in the UK is part of a global network of member firms that offers audit, tax, legal, consulting, deal advisory, and technology services. Powered by the talent of c.16,000 people, KPMG bring creativity, insight and experience to solve their clients’ and communities’ biggest problems.

KPMG staff are empowered and equipped to deliver ground-breaking work with real flexibility. They aim to be universally recognised as a place where great people can come and do their best work. KPMG is known for its collaborative culture, with people who are incredibly motivated and inquisitive, diverse in background and perspective, who believe in better, and are committed to delivering extraordinary results.

Find out more about KPMG on their Company Page. 

Agenda

Your day/s could look something like this... 

• 10am-5pm 'working day' in your local KPMG office
• Introduction to KPMG
• Introduction to the KPMG employee you will be paired with
• Work shadowing a KPMG employee
• Working within one business area (audit, tax, deal advisory, business support services, technology, consulting or law)

Next steps

• Register for these in-person placements using your Uptree account. If you do not have an Uptree account, register here.
• The total number of placements available will vary (last year they hosted around 120 individuals).
• Prioritisation will begin two to six weeks before the placement: applicants matching the location and business area will receive an invitation 2-6 weeks before the event and the first to respond will be offered the placement.

Any questions, please do contact us: educationteam@uptree.co

Fine print

Please make a note of the office location above before applying.

This is an in-person event and will be hosted at the company's offices. If you are allocated a place, you will be sent the company's safety guidelines a week in advance. You will be expected to follow any guidance from the company on the day.

Photo and video consent

At any Uptree event, including those held online using video conferencing software, we may take photographs or video footage for the purpose of marketing. These images may appear on our website, social media, and press releases to create awareness of our brand. We may also share the photographs with our partner companies for them to share across social media. By registering for an event with Uptree, you are permitting Uptree to take/use photographs of you and share them with our partners.

If you would not like us to take photographs of you, please let us know by emailing the name of the event and your name to educationteam@uptree.co

Please note that due to online safeguarding policies and to protect all students’ privacy, pictures and screenshots are not allowed to be taken during the session. If you would like to post about your experience on LinkedIn or other social channels, we will be sharing photos from the event in a follow-up email and you are more than welcome to use and share these.