Early Careers Trainee Job at Worthing, West Sussex Full Time

Carpenter Box is proud to be part of the Sumer Group. We are chartered accountants, tax, and business advisers based in the South East. Our culture is built on collaboration, innovation, and professional excellence, where every team member is encouraged to grow, contribute, and make a real difference.

Whether you’re finishing college, graduating from university or looking for a career change – there’s more than one way to begin your career with us in accountancy, audit or tax. Our trainee roles are designed to help you learn on the job, gain a professional qualification, and build a future you can be proud of, whichever path you take to get there.

We’re recruiting for opportunities in our Accounts team as party of our Early Careers Trainee Programme, designed for those ready to take their first step into a rewarding career in accountancy. You’ll gain the skills, qualifications and experience to become a fully qualified professional, supported every step of the way.

About Us

You’ll be joining a friendly, professional team where enthusiasm, curiosity and commitment are valued as highly as experience. From day one, you’ll work with a range of clients, learning how to prepare accounts, support audits, and provide insightful tax and business advice.

As your confidence grows, so will your responsibilities. You’ll have opportunities to work directly with clients, contribute to projects, and gain a real understanding of how successful businesses operate.

We’ll equip you with the technical training and personal skills development you need to progress, ensuring you build a strong foundation for a long-term career in accountancy.

The Programme

You’ll join a training contract, combining practical client experience with professional study towards your qualification (AAT, ACA or ACCA, ).

Alongside your qualification, you’ll become part of the Sumer Academy – our dedicated early careers development programme. The Academy runs alongside your studies, offering a blend of online, virtual and in-person learning focused on building both your technical skills and the soft skills that will help you thrive in your future career.

You’ll also train as part of a group-wide cohort, connecting with other trainees from across the Sumer Group to share experiences and learn together.

To apply, you’ll need a strong A-Level or equivalent academic background, including a minimum of a Grade C/5 in English and B/6 Maths at GCSE level (or equivalent).

You’ll also be:

• An effective communicator – confident in listening and expressing ideas clearly with clients and colleagues.
• Collaborative – a team player who enjoys sharing ideas and working together to achieve great results.
• Time efficient – able to balance work and study with good organisation and prioritisation.
• A problem solver – curious, adaptable and ready to take on challenges.
• Results focused – proud to deliver a high standard of work and service.
• Keen to learn – enthusiastic about developing your skills and career.

Applications will close on 31 May. If your application is shortlisted you will receive a link to our online assessment via our partner provider, Canditech, around the 02 June where you will have 7 days to complete this.

The final stage is our in person assessment centre, which is being held on 18 June 2026 in our Worthing office.

Key Details

• Location: Worthing
• Contract Type: Permanent
• Hours: 37.5 hours per week, Monday to Friday
• Start Date: September 2026

Our Values

We have a strong set of values that define who we are and everything we do:

• WE SHINE TOGETHER – We celebrate everyone’s individuality, and work as one team.
• WE DO THE RIGHT THING – We act with kindness, fairness and integrity in everything we do.
• WE MAKE IT COUNT – We’re quietly brave as we make a difference, every day, for our clients and communities.

Belong @ Sumer

At Sumer, we are committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse work environment, not just as buzzwords, but as the heartbeat of our team. Our recruitment practices reflect this commitment, welcoming individuals from all backgrounds. We prioritise creating an environment where every candidate feels respected and supported throughout the hiring process.

Everyone is unique and we understand that each individual may have distinct needs to showcase their best selves during interviews. Our commitment is to offer personalised support for all.