Where to go now...?

FishFace

Just coming to the end of the AAT Technician Level so hopefully should be a fully fledged MAAT in a few weeks.

Just wondering what were the options available to me after this qualification... ACCA and CIMA are the main ones that everyone talks about but presumably there are other routes you can go down? What's the difference between ACCA and CIMA anyway?

Thanks in advance!:001_smile:

rachy1975

FishFace wrote: »

Just coming to the end of the AAT Technician Level so hopefully should be a fully fledged MAAT in a few weeks.

Just wondering what were the options available to me after this qualification... ACCA and CIMA are the main ones that everyone talks about but presumably there are other routes you can go down? What's the difference between ACCA and CIMA anyway?

Thanks in advance!:001_smile:

i was just about to post the same question my self!!! i think one is financial and one is management accounts....

A-Vic

from what ive been told ACCA is for practise where as i know NHS and other organisations prefer CIMA CIFRA

mikes

The main difference is that the ACCA, along with ICAEW/ICAS/ICAI are the only ones that allow you to do insolvance, audit and investment business work in the UK and Ireland.

CIMA deals with the internal control of manufacturing, service and public sentor operations.

stevef

you have to remember that the six "Chartered" bodies are all members of CCAB, abide by UK and International GAAP and have to follow the same relevant legislation. Because of this GAA there are more similarities than differences. Its more about different emphasis on certain aspects of accounting and on differing organisational structure.

Having said that I think it is fair to say that CIPFA deals with Public Sector accounts, ACCA is more associated with corporate financial accounts and CIMA on management accounts. In Local government where I work, CIPFA is the traditional route, but adverts tend to ask for a CCAB qualification. These days there is a growing number of ACCA members and students in Local Government, and in the corner of Wales I live in ACCA probably dominates in terms of member and students.

At the end of the day your choice will probably be more influenced by who you work for and training opportunities, rather than what you do.

burg

One of the other routes commonly taken is to study the ATT (Association of Tax Technicians) and then possibly onto the CTA if tax is what interests you.