CTC vs AITI Tax qualification

Pandoras Twist

Hi All,

I have read through all the threads I could find on this issue and I know there is a similar thread here: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=67919928

However I wanted to start a new thread rather than tag onto someone else's. Also, people who sat the CTC or AITI exams in April/Summer since this above thread was made may have an opinion.

I did the M.Acc in Smurfit and have started a Big4 training contract in tax. We had presentations from both the ITI and the CAI outlining their courses and we have been asked to choose which qualification to pursue. As I have a masters I will be doing the Part 2s, then my FAE, then Part 3 of whichever qualification I decide to go for.

Both courses are fully endorsed by the Big4 company I work at and members of staff are involved in lecturing and tutorials on the CAI course. Overall the layout and style of teaching on the CAI course seemed to appeal to me more. The tutorial classes are smaller than that of the AITI exams. Also, as I was exempt from CAP 2 exams, the CTC course may prepare me more for the transition to the FAE exams.

As a result of a summer school module in the masters I will be exempt from the AITI Business Taxes module in the Part 2 exams or I will be exempt from one of the two 15% continuous assessments from the CAI.

I understand that it is a new qualification, but it has already earned the endorsement of the PwC, KPMG and Deloitte and I doubt they would allow their trainees to pursue a qualification that was not valuable. Feedback from people who have attended it seems very positive. However, I'm worried that the people most likely to hire me in the future are most likely to have a bias towards AITI as that will be the qualification they have taken and as it will be many years since they qualified so they may not be up to date on the relevance of the CAI qualification.

I should also mention I don't intend on working abroad and if I did the furthest afield I would go would be the UK

Thoughts and suggestions please?

Shane732

Pandoras Twist wrote: »

Hi All,

I have read through all the threads I could find on this issue and I know there is a similar thread here: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=67919928

However I wanted to start a new thread rather than tag onto someone else's. Also, people who sat the CTC or AITI exams in April/Summer since this above thread was made may have an opinion.

I did the M.Acc in Smurfit and have started a Big4 training contract in tax. We had presentations from both the ITI and the CAI outlining their courses and we have been asked to choose which qualification to pursue. As I have a masters I will be doing the Part 2s, then my FAE, then Part 3 of whichever qualification I decide to go for.

Both courses are fully endorsed by the Big4 company I work at and members of staff are involved in lecturing and tutorials on the CAI course. Overall the layout and style of teaching on the CAI course seemed to appeal to me more. The tutorial classes are smaller than that of the AITI exams. Also, as I was exempt from CAP 2 exams, the CTC course may prepare me more for the transition to the FAE exams.

As a result of a summer school module in the masters I will be exempt from the AITI Business Taxes module in the Part 2 exams or I will be exempt from one of the two 15% continuous assessments from the CAI.

I understand that it is a new qualification, but it has already earned the endorsement of the PwC, KPMG and Deloitte and I doubt they would allow their trainees to pursue a qualification that was not valuable. Feedback from people who have attended it seems very positive. However, I'm worried that the people most likely to hire me in the future are most likely to have a bias towards AITI as that will be the qualification they have taken and as it will be many years since they qualified so they may not be up to date on the relevance of the CAI qualification.

I should also mention I don't intend on working abroad and if I did the furthest afield I would go would be the UK

Thoughts and suggestions please?

My personal opinion on this matter is that the AITI qualification is an established course.

You seem to be leaning towards the CAI qualification.

Pandoras Twist

I got a better impression of it overall,and people in my firm who had done it seemed pleased with it. I just dont want to be left in the lurxh when I finish my contract

Shane732

Pandoras Twist wrote: »

I got a better impression of it overall,and people in my firm who had done it seemed pleased with it. I just dont want to be left in the lurxh when I finish my contract

Sorry I didn't feel like writing a long reply the last time for some reason.

What long term advantages do you think the CTC has over the AITI exams?

99% of tax consultants are AITI qualified and IMO the AITI qualification is certainly the qualification of choice at the moment.

From memory I think the pick up on the CIC has been quite poor and the institute are really trying to push it now.

Why do you think you'd be left in the lurch with an AITI qualification?

skmck

Hi just wondering what route you decided to go down as I'm seriously considering doing one of them?

Mr. Incognito

Cic is cheaper so no wonder the firms push it.

Aiti is hard but its the gold standard. Obviously i am biased but i would take that if it was on offer