Accounting Part-time

Nick L 82

Hi there,

I'm currently working full time but have started a course part time in Bookkeeping and Accounting Introduction in CIT. I've wanted to do accounting fo years but started working and put it on the back foot for years. This is a Cert course for 10 weeks just to give me a taste really.

What I'm looking for is a little help as to where to go after this course. I went straight from secondary school to work so I'm not sure of courses types etc.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

PCX

There are a number of ways to get qualified in accountancy. You can study for an Accounting technician qualification next or go straight for a full professional accountant qualification which would be the quicker way to get fully qualified (but might be more intense).

There are a few different bodies that you can get an accounting qualification from. The most popular seems to be ACCA but there are other options such as CPA, CIMA or Chartered Accountants Ireland (although I think you need a degree or accounting technician qualification 1st for CAI). There are advantages and disadvantages to all of them. There is a comparison thread in the accountancy forum here...

Professional Accounting Bodies - Discussion and Comparisons

All of them can be studied part time. You can study module by module with a college such as Griffith or Independent Colleges or you can try and self study at home if you think you would have the motivation (maybe for the early modules to save money).

You'll need to decide if you want to work in an accounting practice or in an accounts department in industry as that may affect the qualification thats right for you (ie CIMA specialises in industry). Whichever body you train with you will need to get at least a couple of years work experience in an accounting job, in addition to the exams, before you can be fully qualified. So you'll get qualified quicker if you are working as an accounts assistant or the like while you study for the exams. It might be easier to get a job like that if you are already studying for the professional exams though and might mean taking a pay cut depending on your current salary.

If I was you I'd try talking to the tutors for your current course and ask their advice as a first step. Find out if the accountancy bodies have any open evenings in your area and attend them as well.

Hope that helps.

Nick L 82

Thanks PCX that's a great help much appreciated, it can be hard to get your head around it all at times.