Pre-Accountancy course?

angeldelight

Just wondering if anyone could recommend a part-time evening course for me... I've been considering a career change for a while and accountancy is top of my list. I'm really not sure why as I didn't study business or accountancy in school but I feel it's a job I could quite comfortably do and that I would enjoy... I'm a pharmacist and hate working in retail (hence the career change) but thanks to my current qualification have quite a logical methodical approach, and a good head for figures and attention to detail so think accountancy could be quite a good match for me. Anyway I'd like to do an evening course to see if I am actually interested in the subject and was looking for some recommendations?

I can't afford to study full time and would be hoping, if I do like the subject area, to start studying accountancy proper in September as I'm 26 (I know, hardly an old lady just yet but with babies etc in my hopefully not too distant future I want to get the ball rolling). Any help/ideas/advice/tips much appreciated!

smcgiff

is it too late to sign up for the leaving cert?

There are two levels of "accounting" you could consider, there are the basic few week book keeping courses that the likes of FAS provide. And then there's the full on accountancy courses such as accounting technician and the professional courses. The former is too short and wont give you any meaningful understanding of what it is to be an accountant. And the latter option requires signing up to years of study.

Taking on the leaving cert may be an option.

SBWife

If she already has her LC, which if she's a pharmacist she should have, I don't see the point in doing the LC accounting. I'd be tempted to go straight into the professional courses rather than spend the guts of 6 months studying at a secondary school level.

smcgiff

SBWife wrote: »

If she already has her LC, which if she's a pharmacist she should have, I don't see the point in doing the LC accounting. I'd be tempted to go straight into the professional courses rather than spend the guts of 6 months studying at a secondary school level.

Because the OP is still at the consideration stage.

LC Accounting honours is quite a tough exam equivalent to first year accounting at third level. So, yeah - it's quite a good starting point.

MaryMagdalene

Accounting technician

tomfoolery60

If you want to get a sense of what accounting is like you should perhaps go to a good bookshop (I suggest Hodges Figgs) and have a look at some college introduction to accounting text books. Perhaps read a few reviews on Amazon if you like and pick one that you like.

Then work through it and see if it appeals to you! There are loads of online resources for accounting too.

I wouldn't bother getting an accounting technician course or something like that - you have a primary degree so it is not worth your while as you can enroll with ACA/ACCA/CIMA/etc. no problem.

Re. your age - if you decide you like it and went to a Big 4 and trained you would take a massive pay cut for a few years but you wouldn't be too old. Most people are in their early 20s starting out but there are always a few career changers in there mid-late 20s.

angeldelight

Thanks for the replies guys - Hodges Figgis will probably be a first stop during the week ok.

I still can't find any evening courses that might give me a broad overview of accountancy, all seem to be book keeping or payroll etc. I'm not sure why but I feel drawn to audit having done a little research. I think the main reason is that in my current job I have to have extreme attention to detail and spend a lot of my time checking work completed by others but I'm not ruling anything in or out at this time.

From the reading I've done, although it's difficult to absorb it there's so much of it, Chartered Accounts Ireland Elevation program seems like it would suit me best if I do decide to go down this road - I graduated in Summer 2008 and started work in September 2008 so by October 2013 I'd have the requisite 4 years workplace. This would enable me to continue to work as a pharmacist for the next 3 years, and so build up enough savings to pay for the course fees, and then the subsequent decrease in salary

Pauvre Con

smcgiff wrote: »

The former is too short and wont give you any meaningful understanding of what it is to be an accountant.

Beyond learning double-entry bookkeeping, which you'd get from an accounting technician course I can honestly say that studying and taking exams gives you next to no preparation for the real world of work! They're nothing more than a box to tick.

smcgiff

Pauvre Con wrote: »

Beyond learning double-entry bookkeeping, which you'd get from an accounting technician course I can honestly say that studying and taking exams gives you next to no preparation for the real world of work! They're nothing more than a box to tick.

The accounting technician course is rarely the correct answer, it's certainly not the answer to the OP's query.

I disagree, the LC course would offer more than just learning double entry. There may be little point in even doing the LC, just study the course.

Practical experience is of course more valuable, but... again, re-read the OP.

Pauvre Con

smcgiff wrote: »

The accounting technician course is rarely the correct answer, it's certainly not the answer to the OP's query.

I disagree, the LC course would offer more than just learning double entry. There may be little point in even doing the LC, just study the course.

Practical experience is of course more valuable, but... again, re-read the OP.

I wasn't really disagreeing with your general advice to the OP - just the bit about more advanced study being overly useful and relevant in the workplace!

Prettyblack

I have a friend who started studying chartered this year, had no background at all in accountancy (she was an Arts graduate) and had never worked in finance or anything. She found it easy enough to start into it as the lectures sort of start at the beginning. It'd certainly get challenging as the year progressed. Is a part time course essentially, over 3 years.

I think any of the main accountancy bodies would start at the beginning with regards to the syllabus, you could always ring them up and ask them what they would recommend. Accounting Technician would only get you so far, but as far as I know that's a full time course.

angeldelight

Thanks for all the replies everyone. I've really been thinking about it a lot, and the main reason for me wanting to do some sort of pre course is more to do with making sure I do have a bit of an interest and I don't hate it, rather than jumping from the frying pan into the fire. I've decided to do the ACCA diploma in accounting and business in the evenings starting in September. This should give me a good indication of how I feel about accountancy as all I'm working off now is gut instinct that I'd enjoy it. It would get me some exemptions as well, and would give us more time to save as I think I would take a pay cut and look for a training contract as the elevation programme with experience afterwards would take too long. Also hoping the diploma would help me find a training position as otherwise I'd be looking with no business or accountancy experience ever so imagine I would struggle to find something. Fingers crossed anyway!

Prettyblack

angeldelight wrote: »

look for a training contract as the elevation programme with experience afterwards would take too long. Also hoping the diploma would help me find a training position as otherwise I'd be looking with no business or accountancy experience ever so imagine I would struggle to find something. Fingers crossed anyway!

I'm doing Elevation and it takes as long as the training contract, because you can do it at the same time as your experience - doesn't have to be after. Beauty of it is though, I can take a break anytime I want which I wouldn't be able to do if I was under a contract (not that I'm planning).

From what I've heard from managers and people who look for accountants, they want to see that you've put the years into your training - there's no "fast track" in this world, and if you think you'll be attractive to an employer with only 18 months experience vs 3.5 - you're wrong!

angeldelight

Prettyblack wrote: »

From what I've heard from managers and people who look for accountants, they want to see that you've put the years into your training - there's no "fast track" in this world, and if you think you'll be attractive to an employer with only 18 months experience vs 3.5 - you're wrong!

That's understandable but if I applied for training contracts now I would be applying as a pharmacist with no business/accounting knowledge whatsoever. I know literally nothing. After doing the one year diploma I will at least know something, which has to be more attractive to employers...

Littlething

Hi Angeldelight,

Im kinda in the same situation as you im nearly 26, I startyed the accounting technician course and Im now in my 2nd year, Iv been able to do it part time 2 evenings a week so I can still work full time, Iv found this easy to manage. I think this course is a good option as it gives you the feel for accounting after the 2 years you can go on to do further study and professional exams with ACCA etc to become an accountant or as I am also hoping to do once qualified is look in to teaching for the future ( when there are jobs!) If you are thinking kids thats always a good option!

The fees for the course arent huge so if you dont feel its for you after a year or two you havent wasted a lot of money and if you dont want to proceed with accounting you can work as an accoutign technican its definitly worth looking into I think. The accounting technicans website is a good place to start they have the course details, fees sample exam papers etc. Best of luck!

bulmersgal

I'm in same boat as little thing and accounts technician suits me as I done no business or accounts class in secondary school so was clueless. But in my first year exams my lowest grade was 76%