Accounting
The apprenticeship is structured so apprentices alternate between working full-time for a few months and spending several weeks at college, preparing for their professional accountancy exams. “That way, they can really prioritise their studies when it’s exam time, and then return to the office afterwards to focus on client work,” says Sinclair. “Apprentices who join us from school or college are treated exactly the same as our graduates. They
coach, who makes sure they’re on the right pathway during their apprenticeship and get the experiences they need to pass their exams. And they check on their mental wellbeing too,” Sinclair confirms. “You jump straight into work on the apprenticeship, but you’ll still have a real social life, and you’ll get all the skills and career development you need to progress in your professional career without the university debt.”
Understanding the ICAEW . . .
F ounded in 1880, the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales (ICAEW) represents more than 200,000 accounting professionals and students around the world. “The Associate Chartered Accountant (ACA) qualification from the ICAEW is a globally recognised business, finance and accounting qualification that enables you to become a chartered accountant,” says Hannah Bailey, Senior Marketing Manager for Student Attraction at the ICAEW. “Once qualified, you can use the ‘ACA’ credentials after your name, as well as gain access to membership with ICAEW, joining more than 169,500 chartered accountants worldwide,” she continues. The ACA qualification is made up of four elements, designed to help build the technical knowledge, professional skills and practical experience that accountants need. This includes a minimum of 450 days work experience with an employer; 15 exams to test knowledge of accountancy, finance and business; professional development; and training on ethics in accountancy. “Anyone can be an accountant,” explains Bailey. “But becoming chartered means you’ve
There are currently over 7,000 employers that provide training for the ACA qualification, with increasing numbers offering degree apprenticeships as one of their principle routes to qualification. The Level 7 accountancy professional apprenticeship typically takes four years to complete and takes sixth form school-leavers through each stage of the ICAEW’s training, to become fully-qualified ACA chartered accountants. “The ACA qualification elevates you from being an ordinary accountant to becoming a leader,” Bailey believes. “It’s an incredible statistic, but 84 of the FTSE 100 companies – the UK’s biggest and most-successful companies – have a chartered accountant on their board of directors.” The ICAEW’s combination of financial, business and professional training enables chartered accountants to analyse and strategise, communicate effectively, and work with people at all levels within business or other sectors. “It’s not just a 9 to 5 job behind a desk, you can go anywhere and work anywhere in the world with your qualification,” says Bailey. “It’s such a strong career that’s fit for the future.”
demonstrated all the skills and knowledge and gone through the professional training necessary to be able to call yourself a chartered accountant.” Many chartered accountants are trained and employed by accountancy firms, like KPMG, BDO and PwC, and work with the firms’ clients in areas like audit and tax. “But they can also work in forensic accountancy on fraud cases and criminal investigations,” Bailey notes. “Or they go into business, the public sector, or not-for-profit organisations. It’s a qualification that’s very flexible and valued in a wide variety of sectors,” she enthuses. An impressive 99 of the top 100 global brands employ ICAEW chartered accountants and the ICAEW regulate and supervise over 11,500 accounting firms in the UK. “Whether it’s fashion businesses, tech companies, football clubs or charities, they all employ ACA-qualified accountants,” says Bailey.
26 Degree Apprenticeships
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