Acca Student & Work/travel abroad.....Confused

bananaskins

People will probably think im crazy but here goes. Im an Acca student awaiting results of two exams in august hopefully passed both and do another 2 in dec sitting.(wishfully thinking maybe) I started from stratch after lc. Will be two years in my job in november. Alot of my friends have already done a J1 and I decided against it due to my job, it wouldnt be worth leavin for 3 months in america and I kept telling myself im still very young will get a chance to do the travel/work thing again.
Thing is some of my close friends have finished college and cant get jobs in their field and are now thinking of doing a futher study in sept 2011. They want to save till xmas get a visa and travel/work in america for 7/8 months til sept.I'd really really love to go, and not sure the chance to travel with friends will arise again. Its a daunting/lonely prospect to travel alone.
I'll have half of the exams done at that stage n only one more year of experience to get. Am i mad to be considering this? I realise in the current job market it isnt a great idea but with that experience would i have a good chance of getting a job when i come back or should i wait and hope the chance to travel america comes around again?? Or should i grab the bull by the horns and take the chance and go when im still young and have nothing stopping me????
Any opinions/ similar experiences and how it worked out appericated. very confused

smcgiff

You've pretty much summed up the pros and cons yourself.

So, you'll just have to decide.

However, I wouldn't blame you to head off to the US while you're still young.

Jeanie_Mac

Don't dream of packing in your studies... in this day and age EVERYONE is doing the whole work abroad thing at some stage. You'll have plenty of opportunities again in your life to do this. Just get those golden letters after your name... it'll make it easier for you to travel when you decide to - da solo or otherwise ;-)

allymcbeal

I know a few people who are going off travelling when they are finished the exams and contract so I would say you would be better off to finish the exams out as if you do go away to work there will be plenty of competition abraod as the job market for accountants in Ireland is crap.

Blarney92

On a more practical note what visa can you get that will allow you into the states for 7/8 months if you haven't been in college?

bananaskins

Blarney92 wrote: »

On a more practical note what visa can you get that will allow you into the states for 7/8 months if you haven't been in college?

I havent looked into the visas available yet I dont wanna get excited if I'd be silly to even consider going. Think my friends will be going for a 12month student/graduate/post graduate visa.I suppose not even being 21, it might be better to wait til i am n im quailifed there'll be nothing stopping me then

djk1000

Get the Oxford Brookes BSc in Applied Accounting through ACCA. People can debate the quality of the degree all day, but it would make you a graduate and could make a visa easier to get. Americans are more focused on University education and don't understand the professional exam system that we have.

As for go or not, I'd say go, you only live once and ACCA gives you 10 years to complete your training. You might be unemployed for a while when you get back but you can spend that time studying fulltime to get the last few exams finished.

If the situation in Ireland still sucks when you get back, you can head to Australia and Canada for a couple of years.

tenchi-fan

I'd say get your exams, and then go - but work as an accountant over there to get your experience.

bananaskins

Thanks for al the replys guys esp djk1000 yea the degree would make getting a visa much easier, hadnt thought of that one i dont think ill be able to get the degree before my friends travel but i can always visit them and go to work again some other time. its no harm to have the degree might aswel have it on my wall