Where to start - accounting path

positivepenny

Hi All

I am looking for some advice on a career in accounting. I am working in payroll for the past 5yrs and would like to start an accountancy course. Have always been interested in this and loved maths and business studies (accounts side of it) when at school. Where do I start? I don’t want to rush into a 4 yr course as I just want to take one step at a time. Would the accounting technician course be a good start? I am working part-time so I’d be looking at an evening course.
Any thoughts or guidance would be great J

PP
x

mr_edge_to_you

Accounting technician would be a great place to start. See how you get on with it and take it from there. It's an excellent qualification - widely recognised and held in high regard.

Pauvre Con

If you can get accepted into a chartered accounting body I'd go for that but yeah, otherwise the accounts technician qualification is the way to go. If you're angling for more money you'll have to become qualified though.

jammyjake

If anyone is looking to qualify as an accounting technician there are places available in Galway on a FAS course, some people may be entitled to exemptions to get on to year 2.Course starts around mid September.

http://www.accountingtechniciansireland.ie/
http://www.fas.ie/

Both ACCA and CIMA offer entry level qualifications that slot directly into their qualifications structure.

http://www.accaglobal.com/en/employer/getting-started/employers-glance.html
http://www.cimaglobal.com/Students/Entry-level-certificate-in-business-accounting/

I'm not sure what classes would be available for these - they might be home study based.

bulmersgal

jammyjake wrote: »

If anyone is looking to qualify as an accounting technician there are places available in Galway on a FAS course, some people may be entitled to exemptions to get on to year 2.Course starts around mid September.

http://www.accountingtechniciansireland.ie/
http://www.fas.ie/

Same with tallaght in dublin

positivepenny

Thanks for the repies

I was looking at ATI and its a 2yr course and then 2yrs working experience, so i may take that route. I dont want to leave my current job yet as jobs are spars and working parttime will give me time to study too whilst the youngin is at skool.... but will defo be looking at getting in somewhere once ive completed my two yrs...

positivepenny

Question do you need to have some sort of a degree to enter into an accountancy training contract with a private firm or industry? i'm looking into all paths as i may go straight into the full on training accountancy contract as i dont think the technician course will get me far as id prob go on and do the ACA or ACCAs (still have to look into these too...lol)......oh decision time....

Pauvre Con

positivepenny wrote: »

Question do you need to have some sort of a degree to enter into an accountancy training contract with a private firm or industry? i'm looking into all paths as i may go straight into the full on training accountancy contract as i dont think the technician course will get me far as id prob go on and do the ACA or ACCAs (still have to look into these too...lol)......oh decision time....

Whatever you do go the shortest route to get to where you want. You'll need a degree to join anywhere as a trainee. If you don't have one and aren't in a position at the moment to join a chartered accountancy body then it'll be quickest to do an accounts technician course. That'll give you entry into the likes of the ACCA and give you a few exemptions from certain modules.

I used to work in payroll too and although at the time I thought it was a bit crappy I guess it wasn't actually too bad.

Prettyblack

positivepenny wrote: »

Question do you need to have some sort of a degree to enter into an accountancy training contract with a private firm or industry? i'm looking into all paths as i may go straight into the full on training accountancy contract as i dont think the technician course will get me far as id prob go on and do the ACA or ACCAs (still have to look into these too...lol)......oh decision time....

You can do technicians and then go to do ACA after - they are the same company I think so they have it linked that one leads into the other naturally. I'd get on to them if I were you and see what they say.

neverwasser

Pauvre Con wrote: »

Whatever you do go the shortest route to get to where you want. You'll need a degree to join anywhere as a trainee. If you don't have one and aren't in a position at the moment to join a chartered accountancy body then it'll be quickest to do an accounts technician course. That'll give you entry into the likes of the ACCA and give you a few exemptions from certain modules.

I used to work in payroll too and although at the time I thought it was a bit crappy I guess it wasn't actually too bad.

You don't need a degree to join all accountancy practices, however they do prefer them in a lot of instances, if you passed the Accounting Technician course you will get exemption from Year 1 of ACCA and CPA. If you get past the second year of their courses then you have a very good chance of getting a trainee accoutant position, remember you also have payroll experience and that would be a strong help with small to medium size practices that might need someone to help out once a week in their payroll departments. Also if you have passed 2nd year of ACCA or CPA then you will have the same amount of subjects passed as Degree Holders have in exemptions but you will have work experience.

Sometimes people get too caught up in the tradional way of becoming an accountant, they think the only route is leaving cert, degree and then Accountancy exams, these days practices want workers not educated idiots with handy degrees in Business. BBS can also stand for Bachelor of Bullsh*t

Pauvre Con

neverwasser wrote: »

You don't need a degree to join all accountancy practices, however they do prefer them in a lot of instances, if you passed the Accounting Technician course you will get exemption from Year 1 of ACCA and CPA. If you get past the second year of their courses then you have a very good chance of getting a trainee accoutant position, remember you also have payroll experience and that would be a strong help with small to medium size practices that might need someone to help out once a week in their payroll departments. Also if you have passed 2nd year of ACCA or CPA then you will have the same amount of subjects passed as Degree Holders have in exemptions but you will have work experience.

Sometimes people get too caught up in the tradional way of becoming an accountant, they think the only route is leaving cert, degree and then Accountancy exams, these days practices want workers not educated idiots with handy degrees in Business. BBS can also stand for Bachelor of Bullsh*t

I meant that as it was obvious the OP had no professional accounting qualifications and that therefore the only way then into a trainee position would be if they held a degree.

I agree though, going to uni isn't the quickest route for someone wanting to be a certified accountant but ultimately I'd view this step as an important bit of life experience and better to have done it than not. Qualifications are becoming more and more important and academic ones are no exception.