Post A-level Career advice needed!

System
System Posts: 100,534 🤖 Admin 🤖
edited June 18 in AAT student discussion
hello,<BR><BR>i am currently a student, studying my a levels. I am trying to make the decision whether or not to go the uni or get a job as an accounting technician but can not decide which one is the best path. Can someone with past experience please give me some info to help me decide my carreer path? At the end of it all i want to become a fully qualified accountant. <BR><BR>some of the questions going through my head...<BR><BR>There are so many people telling me to go to uni and get a degree but will i really need it at the end of the day? Will it be too difficult to become a fully qualified accountant via the technician route? What is the pay actually like being a trainee? Do people actually make it from a technician to an accountant? <BR><BR>Thank you

Comments

  • System
    System Posts: 100,534 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Post A-level Career advice needed!

    hello<BR>I was in the same position as you a few years ago. I decided to go the AAT route instead of uni. I found it was a good decision for me. I am about to begin CIMA in a few weeks which will lead to me being a full accountant. With AAT you get to skip the first level of CIMA and some ACCA which you do with a degree but I managed to complete AAT in 2 years whereas uni takes 3 years full time. i ve also found it a benefit to be able to work and get experience in accounting. I hope this advice helps.
  • System
    System Posts: 100,534 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Post A-level Career advice needed!

    Thanks,<BR><BR>Who did you work for while doing your aat? and how long will it take you to complete your cima to become fully qualified? With your experience do you feel that you are in a better position that someone coming out of uni with a degree?<BR><BR>sorry for all the questions :- )<BR><BR>James
  • System
    System Posts: 100,534 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Post A-level Career advice needed!

    Well, I went to uni after Alevels and did a science degree. Whilst at uni I decided that I wanted a career in accountancy. A lot of the larger firms like De Loitte offer graduate training for ACA- and you don't necessarily have had to have studied accountancy at uni. Unfortunately I wasn't able to get onto a programme and I am now studying AAT. <BR><BR>In a way its a nuisance that 3 years at uni are now redundant, but a degree qualification always counts for something.<BR><BR>I know of FCs who never went to uni so you can still go far without a degree - I don't know if pay is affected??<BR>Experience is the main thing - after uni so many companies wanted experience and it was frustrating that I'd never been able to get any as I'd been studying!<BR><BR>It may be possible for you to contact accountancy firms or agencies and see what their opinion is - agencies especially will be able to tell if jobs require degree qualifications.<BR><BR>Good luck in whatever you decide.<BR><BR>
  • System
    System Posts: 100,534 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Post A-level Career advice needed!

    Hello<BR><BR>I worked for a house building company and gained alot of valuable experience, however I think I was lucky to land that role and learn what I did. After 2 years i am an assistant accountant for a medium size company. It will take me about another 2 years to do cima if i pass it all first time round. <BR>I would advise you to look at the exemptions you would gain from your degree. I did have a mate that did an accountancy degree and found it very boring doing it FT but that may just be him.
  • System
    System Posts: 100,534 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Post A-level Career advice needed!

    I am a bit older than you so my experience is a little different but may help you.<BR><BR>I had a choice a few years ago about which route to take. I had just finished HNC Business and could go on and do another 2 years to get a degree (in business) or move into Accountancy via AAT. I choose AAT and although I could have started at Intermediate after about 10 years accounting experience I chose to start at the bottom on Foundation so I didn't miss anything along the way. It was the best move I made!<BR><BR>I only wish that at 18 I knew that Accountancy was the way to go for me instead of doing countless courses including graphic design, Btec Nat Cert in Business & Finance and HNC in Business to name just a few.<BR><BR>I certainly don't regret not doing a degree as I believe that experience counts more than a degree without experience. Besides I'd have been bored stupid studying full-time! After 13 years in accounting I am now Accounts Manager for an engineering company, I'm one exam away from being a fully qualified Accounting Technician and in the next few years will hopefully progress to Financial Director.<BR><BR>My thoughts are, there are so many people with degree's now that they are nothing special. By doing AAT you get three qualifications, as each level is a qualification in itself, and whether you take the degree route or the AAT route you will still have to go on and do the further qualification to become a certified Accountant! And also a professional qualification is often seen as better in industry as it includes exams and experience where as degree's don't include at least 3 years experience on the way.<BR><BR>Hope that helps you a little?!<BR><BR>Sarah.

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