Anyone with CIPFA qualification?

Hi

Does anyone on here have the CIPFA qualification or are currently studying towards one?

Im trying to find out some info from people with an insight into the CIPFA qualification and the opportunities available after qualification.

Ive only been able to find information from the official website which makes out that the qualification is not just restricted to the public sector and is adequate for the private sector as well. Though im in 2 minds whether to consider the CIPFA qualification and just focus jobs offering ACA study as it doesn't have any real restrictions to opportunities after qualification.

Any help is much appreciated.

Mark

Reply 1

DarthVader

I've wondered about this myself. The last time I was at a KPMG Live event one guy who I spoke to (who was studying for the CIPFA qualification) suggested there was still many opportunities available and a lot of variation in what sort of public sector companies they audit. On the other hand my dad works as a CIPFA accountant for one of the local councils and he has suggested in the past the opportunities in local government (at least up here in Scotland) for accountants are not what they once were when he started out nearly forty years ago.

However, I've also head that if you do the CIPFA qualification then it would only take (I don't know about the ICAEW qualification - it's only the ICAS one I've asked about) a further year of study to gain the ICAS qualification.

Personally if it was me I'd rather gain the CA/ACA qualification as I believe it may open more doors than the CPFA one could (which surely for the most part is restricted to the public sector).