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Accountancy Qualifications

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    #32
    Carb
    Registered Users Posts: 831 ✭✭✭Carb


    MG wrote:
    I’m not questioning the value of the actual work involved to get an ACCA. It may well be more difficult/relevant than ACA. My point is that it tends to be more highly regarded because as Cyrus says above employers will tend to prefer students from Uni. There is a valid reason for this as it is more difficult to get into uni and therefore makes a statement about the persons ability and character.

    As regards a contradiction, there is none. Some excellent people will go to an IT. The point is that generally better people go on to uni but there are always exceptions.

    Sorry, I'm completely lost now. What has Uni/IT got to do with the OPs query about ACA V ACCA


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    #33
    kluivert
    Registered Users Posts: 2,399 ✭✭✭kluivert


    Totally agree.

    In addition I think the OP has got the required opinions that they wanted.


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    #34
    Jivin Turkey
    Registered Users Posts: 2,966 ✭✭✭Jivin Turkey


    kluivert wrote:
    You will need to ask yourself which industry do you see yourself.

    If the answer if in practice then i would recommend ACA route.

    If the answer is in commerce or industry (financial controller etc) then i would recommend ACCA.
    The majority of people who qualify as ACA's through big four firms leave and walk into industry jobs in all sectors at home and abroad.


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    #35
    nlgbbbblth
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,668 ✭✭✭nlgbbbblth


    I started Chartered Accountancy in Waterford RTC in 1989. Got a firm to sponsor me just after I sat the Leaving which meant I had two years college (to sit Professional 1 and 2) and then four years working with the firm during which I was to pass Professional 3 and the Final exams.

    Passed Professional 1 no problem but due to lack of study failed Professional 2 along with 10 other people in the class. Only 1 out of the 11 of us passed the autumn repeats [they were a lot harder than the summer exams] and of the 10 who failed, 9 of them were given a 'third chance' by their firm - i.e. work for the year and sit the next summer repeat. My sponsor was the only one who didn't go along with this idea. 'I've never done it before and I'm not starting now so I'm terminating your contract'.

    It was 1991 and the Celtic tiger was unheard of. Jobs were not that easy to come by then.

    I often wonder what would have happened if I had passed / qualified.... but seeing as I didn't like it that much I'm probably better off.


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    #36
    Pythia
    Registered Users Posts: 7,469 ✭✭✭Pythia


    This may be a little off topic but here goes...
    With regards to a career in tax, would it be advisable to get both the ACA and AITI or the AITI on its own?
    I should have a job next year in a big four firm and as far as I know I can do both or just the AITI with a training contract in the tax department.
    I don't know if it's worth doing the ACA if it's not needed?


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    #37
    Jivin Turkey
    Registered Users Posts: 2,966 ✭✭✭Jivin Turkey


    Pythia wrote:
    I should have a job next year in a big four firm and as far as I know I can do both or just the AITI with a training contract in the tax department.
    I don't know if it's worth doing the ACA if it's not needed?
    As far as I know it is general practise to do both. It is more common for people in the audit department to consider it being optional to do both. I'm open to correction on that though.

    An ACA as well as tax exams will give you real career options.


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    #38
    chump
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,807 ✭✭✭chump


    Pythia wrote:
    This may be a little off topic but here goes...
    With regards to a career in tax, would it be advisable to get both the ACA and AITI or the AITI on its own?
    I should have a job next year in a big four firm and as far as I know I can do both or just the AITI with a training contract in the tax department.
    I don't know if it's worth doing the ACA if it's not needed?

    It seems getting a masters in Acc and joining a big4 comp., either in tax, or audit, and doing both sets of exams is the done thing...

    Rem. with the tax exams anyone can do them in any job at any stage...
    And the big4 or in fact any decent firm, would sponsor you no problem to do those exams even if you were working in audit or somewhere else.


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    #39
    kluivert
    Registered Users Posts: 2,399 ✭✭✭kluivert


    Pythia wrote:
    This may be a little off topic but here goes...
    With regards to a career in tax, would it be advisable to get both the ACA and AITI or the AITI on its own?
    I should have a job next year in a big four firm and as far as I know I can do both or just the AITI with a training contract in the tax department.
    I don't know if it's worth doing the ACA if it's not needed?

    Its normal practice to do AITI after doing ACA or ACCA.

    However I have never heard anyone that didnt do ACA or ACCA and did AITI.


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    #40
    Cyrus
    Registered Users Posts: 20,034 ✭✭✭✭Cyrus


    chump wrote:
    It seems getting a masters in Acc and joining a big4 comp., either in tax, or audit, and doing both sets of exams is the done thing...

    Rem. with the tax exams anyone can do them in any job at any stage...
    And the big4 or in fact any decent firm, would sponsor you no problem to do those exams even if you were working in audit or somewhere else.
    #

    not true, they are very reluctant in my firm anyway to sponsor audit staff to do tax exams, extra study leave and expense etc


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    #41
    Carb
    Registered Users Posts: 831 ✭✭✭Carb


    Pythia wrote:
    This may be a little off topic but here goes...
    With regards to a career in tax, would it be advisable to get both the ACA and AITI or the AITI on its own?
    I should have a job next year in a big four firm and as far as I know I can do both or just the AITI with a training contract in the tax department.
    I don't know if it's worth doing the ACA if it's not needed?

    Like most queries like this, it depends what you see yourself doing. If you intend permanently working in tax either with a big 4 or in the tax department of a very large company, then the AITI would be sufficient. IF you intend branching out on your own, then both qualifications would probably be needed as very few companies use one practice for their accountancy/audit needs and another practice for their tax needs.

    Most people I know started off doing ACA/ACCA and then done the taxation exams. These were medium sized practices where the line between departments wouldn't have been as clear. Obviously in a Big 4, the tax department is completely separate. I would assume that if you want to do both, it would be easier to do the taxation exams after you've got you're accountancy qualification (easier as in been let do it), but that is just my experience. I'm open to correction on the Big 4 though as I've never worked there.


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