ending graduate contract

lochie

I have been offered two different positions in large accountancy firms. These are graduate positions where I need to sign a 3.5 year contract. The problem is that I want to go travelling for over a year after 12 months work. Has anyone had any experience in terminating graduate contracts? I assume the most I would have to do is repay college fees previously paid by the employer or am I missing something else??

stepbar

In fairness you havent terminated anything, it has been known for graduates to defer their placement for a yr at the start of the contract. Dont know about doing it one yr in TBH. Mention it to the HR person in each of the companies and see what they say.

lochie

I am reluctant to mention anything to them at this stage in case it jepordises the job offer, I haven't signed any contract yet, I have about a week and a half to decide what to do. Not overly concerned about getting back into the firm when I get back from travelling I just don't want to have a negative record for future prospective employers, would this be likely?

bpmurray

Wait for a year, and then ask for a sabattical for a year - tell them that your friends are heading over to Oz for a year and you want to tag along, but you want to continue working for them when you come back. If you're any good, they'd be silly not to agree: the inverse is that if they don't agree, you don't want to work for them.

Apropos the contract, you can always quit with a reasonable about of notice: this will be explicitly stated in your contract - probably a month.

lochie

bpmurray wrote:

Wait for a year, and then ask for a sabattical for a year - tell them that your friends are heading over to Oz for a year and you want to tag along, but you want to continue working for them when you come back. If you're any good, they'd be silly not to agree: the inverse is that if they don't agree, you don't want to work for them.

Ya that is what I was hoping to do

bpmurray wrote:

Apropos the contract, you can always quit with a reasonable about of notice: this will be explicitly stated in your contract - probably a month.

I got one contract already and there are paragraphs about how they could terminate my job but no details about me leaving or giving notice!

Does anyone have experience in leaving an accounting contract specifically because they will be paying for me to do exams and giving me study leave. I presume i will have to reimburse them for that or how does it work?

caff

you will have to reimburse them if they pay for you to study, it varies from company to company but could be anything from 1 year after qualification to three years.

Kinetic^

OP, I can only advise you to go travelling straight after college and then do your 3.5 years.

You will find it very hard to get another firm to take you on after leaving after 1 year for a period of a year and then wanting to continue on with your training. I'm not talking through my arse either, i'm speaking from experience of someone who has had to find another training firm.

Then there's the contract with the ACA which will state that if you terminate the contract they (the firm) can seek costs of study leave and exam fees back from you.

BossArky

If folk leave my company whilst in the midst of studies, or within a year or having finished the studies, then the balance must be repaid.

damnyanks

Not to mention it looks pretty bad on your CV. If you arent fussed about that then go for another job for a year. I am under the impression trainee accountants don't earn big bucks.