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Accountancy Career - not just a numbers game

‘When I grow up, I want to be a Chartered Accountant’. There’s something you don’t hear every day. But if you’re seriously considering a career in business, you won’t find many more rewarding or promising options out there.

Surprised? Many people are. But the facts speak for themselves. Around 80% of the FTSE 100 companies have at least one Chartered Accountant (ACA) as Chief Executive Officer, as Finance Director or on the board. So when the biggest names in business want top-level decision-makers to create and shape strategy, they turn to Chartered Accountants.

What is Chartered Accountancy?
For those in the know, Chartered Accountancy is widely recognised as one of the most valuable, progressive, exciting jobs around. Chartered Accountants are first and foremost business advisers. They used to look at the past and tell companies how they performed. This is no longer the case as they have IT systems to do this. Today, Chartered Accountants add value to their clients’ businesses by increasing their market share and improving profitability.

Choice and variety are the key elements when you embark on a career as a Chartered Accountant. Decide to join the profession and you’ll work alongside people of your own age, test your skills to the limits, and experience a whole range of challenging projects. Chartered Accountants work in a number of areas, which include; Audit, Taxation, Management Accounting, Information Technology, Corporate Finance, Management Consultancy, and Forensic Accounting

Chartered Accountants work in many business sectors. The three main areas are Public Practice, Business and Commerce and the Public Sector. You could choose to work in anything from a small local firm of Chartered Accountants to a world-wide professional services firm, a multinational commercial organisation or even in a public sector organisation like the National Audit Office or the NHS.

The ACA Qualification
For those looking to make it in modern business the ACA is undoubtedly the most valuable financially based business qualification there is. The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales (ICAEW), which offers the ACA qualification, is the largest professional body in Europe, with some 123,000 members. It has an unrivalled global reputation that leads to plenty of international opportunities. A huge number of employers regard the ACA qualification as the best in the business.

The Training
Training to be a Chartered Accountant covers all aspects needed to be a business adviser. Working in one of the ICAEW’s authorised training offices, of which there are over 2,200 in the UK, you will study to gain the professional knowledge, array of skills, broad experience and personal development needed to qualify.

You will be expected to pass exams set by the ICAEW, which are spread out over your training period, which will combine paid work and study. The length of the training contact will depend on the route into the qualification you take as detailed below.

What Qualifications do you need to enter training?
There are three routes into Chartered Accountancy training: after A-levels, after a degree, or after an Accounting Technician qualification (AAT). Perceptions seem to be that you have to be good at maths or read a relevant degree. This is not the case, any subjects at A-level or degree are acceptable, it is the grades that count! On average, organisations will be looking for around 220 UCAS Tariff points and a 2:1 or First degree. From A-level the length of the training contract is around four-five years, after degree it is three years, and after completing the AAT qualification it is possible to complete the ACA in only a further two years on the AAT- ACA Fast Track scheme (a great option if you want to start earning now and get ahead in your career!)

For more information..
...about careers in Chartered Accountancy visit our website at icaew.co.uk/careers, email us at careers@icaew.co.uk or call 01908 248040.   Send to a friend

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