Home Work & Study
If you need urgent support, call 999 or go to your nearest A&E. To contact our Crisis Messenger (open 24/7) text THEMIX to 85258.

accounting

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
Now i've decided i want to be an accountant, currently im doing a nightcourse in SAGE accounting and i'm picking it up quickly and finding it easy to understand so thats encouraging. But once thats completed where do i go next? my college offer NVQs in AAT or something but i'm all confused with the AAT or ACA or ACCA, which is the best route to take? Do i go through all the NVQs up to technician level with AAT and then go for the ACCA exams or apply to uni, do a degree then go to ACCA.
I also only have AS levels so would i need to wait till i was 21 to apply to uni as a mature student and if so what entry requirements are there generally?

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    you could try writing to a local firm as quite a few don't require a degree and will put you through the ACCA exams while you work for them. find some that recruit and write a good covering letter and you should get an interview.

    also a lot of firms that employ graduates want decent a level grades, usually 280-300 ucas points minimum, even if they only want a 2.2. this is where im struggling cos i pissed around at sixth form and only started to do any work at uni. the plus side though is that of you do accounting and finance at a university that can gain you exemptions you may only have to sit the last set of exams to qualify.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Finally something I know about!

    I went to college then completely changed my mind about what I wanted to be. I'm doing an apprenticeship in a small accounting firm where I go to college one day a week (studying AAT) and work for the rest of the week. I don't have to pay for the course because as an apprentice either your employer or the government will pay for it.

    An Accounting teacher at college told me that employers will almost always take experience over degrees. AAT is a 3 year course, so it works out the same length of time as going to Uni, but you don't end up with a student loan and you are gaining experience and a wage while you study.

    It's up to you really, but try getting in touch with local training firms, I'm with "Training 2000" which is for the north west.

    Anymore questions let me know :)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Simmyluvsu wrote: »
    An Accounting teacher at college told me that employers will almost always take experience over degrees. AAT is a 3 year course, so it works out the same length of time as going to Uni, but you don't end up with a student loan and you are gaining experience and a wage while you study.

    :yes: Thats what I did when I left sixth form, I was an MAAT at 21!

    AAT/ACCA/ACA/CIMA/ICEAW/CIPFA are the main accounting bodies and each offers different exams and qualifications.

    If you do AAT (NVS/Dipolma based) you can start at level 2 or 3 depending on experience/prior qualifiactions.

    I worked part time and did my NVQS round that but had very little study support from the companies I worked for. There always companies around that want traniees but you will have to do start by doing the crappy jobs and then work your way up.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    i looked into that and only found one firm in my surrounding region that offered a traineeship and it seemed quite tough to get onto, so i've been looking into perhaps going to uni and thought about going back to college to do an access course but i didn't know which access course would be appropriate and make me elegible to study BA Accounting
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    A lot of places don't advertise as having an apprenticeship scheme.

    The place I work at now, I just went for an interview as a trainee accountant and in the interview said that I was interested in studying for AAT.

    Maybe go and speak to Connexions? They're useful people and can let you know of any trainee places in your area or give you some advice about going to Uni
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Just been looking at Access courses and theres a few different ones :S and i'm unsure of which one would be best suited for accounting
    These are the options:
    # Social Studies and Humanities Access to HE Diploma (Part-time)
    # Access to English and Humanities (Part-time)
    # Access to HE Diploma
    # Access to Science (Part-time)

    Are any of those suitable?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I don't think any of them are suitable. You could probably do a BTEC in a related subject?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I did the complete AAT course in 2 years. I wasn't being sponsored by an employer and studied at evenings and weekends with a child and baby on the way. I'm not MAAT yet, I've got to complete my work experience form when I return to my job.

    I wouldn't bother with any of those courses TBH. I think you would find the jump from a SAGE qualification (I've done that one too) to an accounting degree too much. I would start off with AAT foundation (NVQ2) which you can do in six months, then Intermediate (NVQ3) then Technician (NVQ4) which will occupy the next two years. Then you could look at something like CIMA or ACCA in order to become chartered.

    You really need to get the work experience in as this is far more important than the qualifications at the end of the day. I would look for an accounts assistant job and once you are in, try and get them to pay for AAT haha!!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    You really need to get the work experience in as this is far more important than the qualifications at the end of the day. I would look for an accounts assistant job and once you are in, try and get them to pay for AAT haha!!

    :yes: Work based experience and qualifications is a lot more valuable then doing a degree IMO.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I would look for an accounts assistant job and once you are in, try and get them to pay for AAT haha!!


    Haha, that's my plan for when ACCA comes around :P

    You'll be on a low wage at first, (I'm only on £8k) but a couple of years down the line it'll always be worth it.
Sign In or Register to comment.