The Student Room Group

Accounting: Advice on how to best progress

I'm currently working minimum wage at for a business and I'm getting little accounting experience. Apart from bank reconciliations they assign me tasks that don't really develop my skillset and I'm not learning much. I'm currently studying the AAT and plan to have achieved the level 4 by April.

I want to transfer over to an accounting firm so I can gain more experience and take the ACA, rather than with my current employer. The reason for this is I believe my three years at an accounting firm rather than my current workplace will give me a greater experience and better skillset.

I've looked at the big 4 and the top 10 accounting firms in the UK and they all seem to offer apprenticeships. These are all five years long which I'm not interested in at all. What I want to know is what is the best way to transition over to an accounting firm and start the ACA or would it be better to get the ACA at my current place of employment and transition over. I would prefer not to because I don't find it demanding here.
Reply 1
Do you work for an accounting firm or in industry? Do you have an undergraduate degree?
Reply 2
Original post by ajj2000
Do you work for an accounting firm or in industry? Do you have an undergraduate degree?

Industry and I don't have a degree. The highlest level of qualifications I have are A-levels.
Reply 3
from what i know, the apprenticeships at these firms include the level 4 study. i don't know if that would exclude you from being eligible or would just make the program shorter for you. i would try to contact the student recruitment at one or two firms and see what they say
Reply 4
Industry and I don't have a degree. The highlest level of qualifications I have are A-levels.

Cool. I think you should reach out to some firms to ask. Maybe they recruit people like yourself outside of the standard entry routes? I suspect some do. Similarly - there are firms which recruit directly to ACA with no need AAT.

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