Do you want to access the full text of articles?

Please see our digital edition archive for the full text of articles.

Alternatively:

If you are a Chartered Accountants Ireland member, please visit the RIS service where Accountancy Ireland is available free of charge via the EBSCO databases.

If you are an Accountancy Ireland subscriber (i.e. you pay each year to receive your copy of Accountancy Ireland) please contact our Subscriptions Department quoting your subscription number and include details of the article you want.

All other users should enquire from their local public or college library about accessing full text Accountancy Ireland articles.

Home / ... / Five Good Reasons to become a Chartered Accountant

Why Train as a Chartered Accountant Training as a Chartered Accountant (CA) opens the door to a vast range of exciting career opportunities, in every sector of business and finance, both in Ireland and internationally. Chartered Accountants are Ireland’s leading business professionals, providing essential strategic guidance expertise and consulting in business, public practice, government and education. Irish CAs are in constant demand both at home and abroad, being recognised for their technical competence, professional standards, and veracity. Training as a CA is a journey towards becoming a member of Irelands largest, and fastest growing accounting body, whose members define and direct Irish business. CA training combines innovative education with mentored work experience, to produce accountants who possess a greater ability to analyse and interpret business problems and develop dynamic solutions. Perhaps that’s why CAs have the edge over their counterparts: CAs rise further and faster into more diverse and important roles in organisations. A quick look at the profiles of those running the leading Irish accountancy firms, or indeed the top ISEQ index companies shows just how far CAs rise!

So why train as a CA?

1. The Chartered Accountant Difference Prospective students often ask what the difference between studying Chartered Accountancy and other accounting qualifications is. The answer is that no other professional accounting qualification provides students with the same support, structure and guidance throughout the training process. Every professional accountancy body in Ireland qualification requires trainees to have a minimum of 3 years practical experience – we are unique in that we ensure our trainees are supported while they get their experience. Any organisation wishing to train CAs must sign up to, and be assessed against the ICAI’s training regulations. These regulations provide an assurance that each trainee will receive the necessary organisational support to successfully complete their CA training. Whether training in practice, or in industry, each CA trainee has a unique, supportive training contract. In addition to normal annual leave entitlements, the training contract guarantees a minimum of 4, 6 or 7 weeks study leave per academic year. It ensures that course and exam fees are paid for by the training organisation and that trainee success in examinations are reflected in their salaries. Crucially, trainees are guaranteed the breath of experience necessary to qualify as a CA. Diversity and progressive advancement are hallmarks of a CAs training experience. As part of the training contract, each student is assigned a mentor (usually a senior CA in the organisation). The mentor is responsible for ensuring all of the above supports are in place; as well as providing essential career guidance, networking opportunities and role modelling. Research has consistently shown that mentoring relationships greatly enhance the career success of Chartered Accountants. In short, the Training Contract gives vital support to trainees throughout their studies and training.

2. Examination Success Where other professional accountancy bodies outsource their education, Chartered Accountancy trainees benefit from classes run directly by their Institute. All but one programme is directly run by the ICAI’s Student Services Unit. Students have greater levels of contact both with their Institute and their lecturers, both of whom work closely together to ensure the highest standards of delivery. It is commonly known that other accounting qualifications can offer more exemptions from exams than Chartered Accountant students receive. However, this can be a red herring! The ICAI does not use attractive exemptions to lure students. Instead, we compare each third level syllabus against our own, and where they meet, we offer exemptions. Where they don’t, we don’t! This honest approach to exemptions places students at the appropriate level, and ensures that the vast majority of students pass their exams on their 1st attempt. An independent analysis of 2006 UK and Ireland professional accounting examinations carried out the by the Professional Oversight Board demonstrates this point. 81% of Irish CA students passed their final exams, 77% of those passed at their 1st attempt. Other accountancy bodies did not fare so well. ACCA had a pass rate of 59% (63% on their 1st attempt) while the CIMA pass rate was 45% (39% on their 1st attempt). This combination of excellence in education and training programmes gives CA trainees the edge over their peers, with most trainees starting and finishing their education and training within 3.5 years.

3. What does training involve? As discussed earlier, becoming a CA involves a combination of academic and professional training. There are a variety of education courses on offer, each with different structures based on local requirements. Most students will attend lectures for the equivalent of 2 weekends a month from October until May. Some venues have a mixture of evening and weekend lectures, others operate purely on weekends, while the distance learning option comprises 4-day weekend blocks once a month. What is common to all is the standard of lecturing. CA courses have the finest accounting lecturers in Ireland, all of whom are committed to providing the best possible education to our students. The technical knowledge gained from the CA course will be the bedrock of your professional career. During the time with their training organisation, trainees are taught how to apply the technical knowledge learned in the classroom environment to real-life situations; broad-business skills are developed, and mentors instil the values and integrity that are the foundation of a CAs reputation. Training can be either in industry (banks, financial services, manufacturing etc) or in traditional accountancy practices. Irrespective of the training environment though, all trainees can expect to be exposed to areas such as financial accounting & reporting, business finance, management accounting, taxation and planning, auditing and assurance etc …

4. Chartered Accountancy – A global qualification Determining how well received your accountancy qualification is on the global market is an important investigation which should be undertaken by anybody considering a career in accountancy. Many accountancy bodies operating in Ireland make claims about the global nature of their qualification, or suggest links with larger international accountancy bodies. For an accountancy qualification to be truly global, foreign institutes must recognise not only your education, but also the training you undertook to become qualified. Chartered Accountancy is the only Irish professional accounting qualification that has this recognition worldwide. The truth is that with other accountancy bodies in Ireland, your qualification is global in the same way that your university degree is global – well recognised, but not in an official capacity. The training you undertake before qualification, and the experience you gain post-qualification are necessary to obtain auditing and practicing certificates, which entitle you to sign off on audits and accounts. Without these, the ability to operate in a foreign country is severely limited.

Chartered Accountancy is different! Irish CAs have true global mobility with both their education, and crucially, their training recognised internationally. Unique Mutual Recognition Agreements offer CAs an outstanding entry point to business in any part of the world. An MRA is an agreement between professional bodies which allows membership to transfer from one jurisdiction to another. These agreements have been crafted in line with the most popular working destinations of Irish CAs. Chartered Accountants are the only Irish accountants which have recognition in both the United States and Canada. Likewise, those looking for an antipodean adventure will be facilitated by exclusive agreements with the Chartered Institutes in both Australia and New Zealand. Chartered Accountants are in such demand in Australia, that it is one of the few professions featuring on all skilled immigration routes to Australia: the Skilled Occupation List (SOL), the Employer Nomination Scheme and on the Migration Occupations in Demand List (MODL). As well as these agreements, numerous others are in place with countries such as South Africa, Hong Kong, England, Scotland & Wales. Out of the ICAI’s 15,000 members, there are currently over 2,000 working in over 90 countries. The Global Accounting Alliance (GAA), of which the ICAI is a member, is an alliance of leading professional accountancy bodies representing over 700,000 CAs across the world. This brings enormous benefits to Irish CAs living in, or working in foreign countries. So, the next time you hear an accountancy body is global, or has ‘links’ with other Institutes – ask for some details!

5. Career Paths & Rewards No other career offers the mobility that a CA qualification does. Today’s CAs takes on the role of a business advisor, who makes high-level strategic decisions, aimed at driving business, improving profit margins and increasing market share for their clients / employers. Many CAs also use their expertise to form their own businesses, becoming highly successful entrepreneurs. Along with the technical skills mentioned above, CAs generally have a solid foundation in economics, marketing and management information systems. As well as dominating public accounting practices, CA are found at the highest level in virtually every sector from healthcare to the music industry. Currently 65% of Irish CAs work in Industry, while 35% are in Practice. The rewards that go with the CA qualification are significant. A 2007 survey of salaries found that the average salary for a newly qualified CA is between €40K and €55K. And that’s at the start of a career – the only way is up!

Conclusion So, if you are considering becoming an accountant, Chartered Accountancy provides you with the ability to choose an exciting career path towards the industry of your choice, anywhere in the world.

I am so pssionate of becoming a successful Chartered Accountant

I am so pssionate of becoming a successful Chartered Accountant

i am have recently done M.com and also doing CAP-1 from ICAB in BANGLADESH .I want to transfer and continue my remaining course from Ireland.please information me and how to possible?

Hello I am a Senior Team Leader in an Asset Finance Company, I like working with figures and would like to train to be an Accountant, What Is involved, Would it involve a wage cut during the training and can I avail of any exemptions, I have a Diploma in Financial Services

Hi there In response to some of the recent queries posted here, please check out the June issue of Accountancy Ireland. A page flipping edition of our June issue is available by clicking the Digital Edition link on our homepage. Look at the article on the Elevation Route which may be suitable. There are links for further information at the end of the article. You will need Flash to read the digital edition. If you have Flash, heres a direct link to the article on the Elevation Route http://www.accountancyireland.ie/digital/june202009/14.html

I have a Diploma in Business Management and am a qualified Accounting Technician. I have 1 year experience in Accounts - but not in a firm. I am finding it extremely difficult to get a training contract. I want to be a Chartered Accountant but can you study this outside a firm? Do you have placement programmes?? For CPA I have 2 subjects left to do and will be finished in a year. Hopefully this will enable me to get a training contract. In comparason of prices CPA is E500 for the year. Chartered is E5,600 for 2 years, but the financial rewards for Chartered qualification is an awful lot more. I am not in a financial position to start Chartered Accountacy in Sept. If I do the CPA what expemptions will I receive if I start Chartered next year? I know its a round about way of doing things, any suggestions??

Can i know the exact process required to do it? what subjects are included in it?

i was recently left unemployed.im 49 years of age .can you advise am i too old to colplete a course in accountancy

i was recently left unemployed.im 49 years of age .can you advise am i too old to colplete a course in accountancy

i was recently left unemployed.im 49 years of age .can you advise am i too old to colplete a course in accountancy

i have recently done b.com and am also doing CA from icap in pakistan ...ido want to trnsfer and continue my remaining course from ireland.let me inform abt the transfer process

With regards to previous experience, exemptions and relevant information please go to the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland website which will give details on Becoming a Chartered Accountant: http://www.icai.ie/en/General/About-Us/Chartered-Accountancy/Becoming-a-CA/

I am doing my second year now in B COM accountingdegree,so what can i do if i wish to do my 3 years training in accountancy ireland

I am interested in gaining a professional qualification. I am a business setdues graduate but am not sure if my current work is sufficent for relevant experience. What exact work do you need to be doing?

Hi, I am a graaduate from a business studies degree course and wondering if I would be exempt from sitting any exams for ACCAs? Also, wondering if the company I currently work for would qualify as my professional experience.

i am 26 and only have a leaving cert would this matter and could i train and still work full time?

Please let me know what are the typical leaving cert grades required to enter the accountancy profession. Thanking you.

For answers to questions like these, please see the link: http://www.icai.ie/en/General/About-Us/Chartered-Accountancy/Becoming-a-CA/

what do i need to apply for a training contract

that was very informative and enlightening, i am really interested in possibly becoming an accountant or CA, but who is more accredited, ACCA or ICAI?

How much would you earn during the 3 year training period?

could you please send me information on how to become a chartered accountant?

Hi, I have a degree in accountancy back in my country, and got it recognized by the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland recently. How can I qualify as CA? Are there any exemptions from exams?

I would like to become an accountant but I can only study for this part-time. Is it possible to acheive my goal?? I really want to do this but don't know where to start. I'd appreciate any advice as I need it!!

could you please send me information on getting in to become a chartered accountant? i am in the connaught area, do i have to find a firm to take me on as a trainee accountant or how do i start??

For the answers to questions like these, please visit www.icai.ie/careers

I would like to become CA but I will need some courses in english. I live in Czech Republic and I would like to have full information about study

I would like to become an accountant but can on do it part time, can you point me in the right direction

I finished my A levels last year in zimbabwe and I want to study chartered accounting inIreland can youplease assist me

i want to become an accountant but to do it part time can you send me info please thanks

I am a graduate(B.comm Accounting from NUST. BYO, ZIMBABWE) & I want to train as a Chartered accountant in IRELAND. Is that possible? How I go about it?

PLEASE SEND ME GUIDELINES ON : "WHY TO BECOME A CHARTERED ACCOUNTANT " AND HOW THE SERVICES OF CHARTERED ACCOUNTANT ARE USEFUL FOR THE ECONOMY"----SUNNY AGARWAL

Please Send Me A Guidance On ' Why to Become A Chartered Accountant' And How Chartered Accountant Is Helpful To The Economy - Mahesh Vyas

I would like to study ,Accountancy on line ,Finding Some better way for that i think this one is Better,

east or west , accounts is the best. CA is to commerce what MBBS is to science.

please send accouting quession paper by email previous year