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What is better? An accounting apprenticeship or an accounting degree

If I want to be an accountant what is better? The invaluable experience an apprenticeship can offer or the 60K debt with a few exemptions to exams and minimal work experience a degree holds?
The thing is, I am being pressured to go to university as my dad has told me that: ' I will get nowhere with a degree?'. Well, is that really true? Will I be hindered in being a successful accountant if I do not possess an accounting degree? What are your thoughts?
I am currently in a similar position as you, only I am deciding whether to take a AAT level 3 diploma in accounting. Not everyone is that keen on the idea really, however if you think about it, you are earning money and gaining valuable work experience in your desired sector. Most people won't have as much experience in the field as you. Think about it, doing an accounting apprenticeship allows you to study at the same time as getting field-based experience. I assume by accounting apprenticeship, you would be taking on a AAT Level 4 which is degree level?

At the end of the day, you will be getting a world-wide recognised Accounting qualification, so it doesn't particularly matter whether or not you to university. Who do you think a prospective employer will choose; a person with the same level qualification as you? Or you who has the necessary qualification plus the field-based work experience?

Hope that helps :smile:
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Avatar for APersonYo
APersonYo
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Original post by BethHudson
I am currently in a similar position as you, only I am deciding whether to take a AAT level 3 diploma in accounting. Not everyone is that keen on the idea really, however if you think about it, you are earning money and gaining valuable work experience in your desired sector. Most people won't have as much experience in the field as you. Think about it, doing an accounting apprenticeship allows you to study at the same time as getting field-based experience. I assume by accounting apprenticeship, you would be taking on a AAT Level 4 which is degree level?

At the end of the day, you will be getting a world-wide recognised Accounting qualification, so it doesn't particularly matter whether or not you to university. Who do you think a prospective employer will choose; a person with the same level qualification as you? Or you who has the necessary qualification plus the field-based work experience?

Hope that helps :smile:

It's a mystery to me :P
Reply 3
Avatar for Trapz99
Trapz99
21
A degree will open up more job opportunities if you decide that accounting is not for you, such as consulting, banking, marketing, PR and a lot of other general graduate careers. Even if you decide that accoutring is for you, a degree from a good university plus an ACA from the Big4 accounting firms will give you an advantage when applying for finance director positions.
Reply 4
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APersonYo
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18
Original post by Trapz99
A degree will open up more job opportunities if you decide that accounting is not for you, such as consulting, banking, marketing, PR and a lot of other general graduate careers. Even if you decide that accoutring is for you, a degree from a good university plus an ACA from the Big4 accounting firms will give you an advantage when applying for finance director positions.


Aaaah okay, that makes much more sense. Thank you :smile:
Yeah an accounting degree isn't necessary for being an accountant, but it is definitely required for progression in the field. A lot of people look at accounting degrees as a waste of time, but you are far more likely to progress through the rankings with a degree than you are without one :smile:.

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