I'm new to this site and wondered if anyone could help me.
I've recently had my third and final child, and now I've completed my family I'm looking to start a new career which I can fit around family life.
After looking into numerous possibilities I think book keeping is for me. I have no previous experience and have worked in Financial Services for the last 10 years, so I'm completely starting from fresh.
I have been looking at the ICB Training courses and wondered if the level 1 certificate in basic book keeping could be completed by using a text book instead of enrolling on the actual course. If so, does anyone know how much the exams are approx?
Also, if I do enrol for the course is 45-50 hours of study time realistic or will it actually take longer.
Finally, could anyone advise on which textbooks are recommended and also which training companies you recommend?
From what I've read on the forum, most people find the level 1 exam quite easy, high pass scores also seem common for level 2. With your financial services background I would think you should take to it well.
My background is banking and I've done ok so far with just textbooks. It might be worth you buying a textbook first and if you get on ok with that you will have no problem with the level 1 exam. I think your estimate of 45-50 hours study is not unreasonable.
Folks sometimes spend loads on training courses and they are not always very happy with the support they get (search posts on this site and you'll pick up some feedback on this). You need someone else to post a reply giving you their experience of preparing by training course so you have a balanced view.
Maybe I am biased but can only recount my own experience. The textbook I have used to get through levels 1 and 2 is "Bookkeeping and Accounts 7th Edition", by Frank Wood and Sheila Robinson. For level 3 manual exam prep, I have just ordered "Business Accounting 1" also by Frank Wood (sticking with what I know is good).
ICB Level 1 exam cost is £25, you buy it via the ICB website and sit it at your own pc at a time to suit you, is timed but you get plenty of time. You also get your result straight away on screen. You'll need to join ICB as a student member first, cost is £45.
Hope it goes well whichever route you take. Be happy to offer further help if you need it.
Good luck
Phil
-- Edited by PhilMcTankup on Tuesday 21st of September 2010 10:38:44 PM
-- Edited by PhilMcTankup on Tuesday 21st of September 2010 10:41:27 PM
-- Edited by PhilMcTankup on Tuesday 21st of September 2010 10:42:01 PM
Hi, My situation is very similar to yours, i had our third baby in late Dec 09 and decided to try and develop a career that i could work from home. Ive done a bit of banking and loads of customer service but no real financial training at all. i decided on ICB as they are geared more towards self employment, I chose,after lots of research and reading posts on this site,Premier Training and bought a package deal of ICB 1 & 2 manual and stage 2 sage computerised. I have no complaints whatsover, the tutors have been great, staff very helpful and everything is clearly laid out and easy to work thru. level 1 was pretty easy, I couldnt have done it without a good text book but I could have prob done it without the college's support. Ive never done double entry book keeping and level 2 was definately harder,I would say the course and its assignments were actually tougher than the actual ICB exam, so they set me up for it very well. Im still doing the computerised level so cant comment on that one, so far so good tho. Anyways, ditto to above comment, Im happy to help where I can,i have received a whole load of help and tips from people on this forum so to give some back would be good! To give you an idea, I started my courses in March 2010, got 94% in the level one exam in May and just got a distinction for level 2. Thats with one baby, one 8 yr old and one teenager under my feet :)!
I started ICB Level 3 manual studies with Ideal Schools at the beginning of September, I am working through their manual, there are nine assignments to complete. You say you have ordered Frank Wood Business Accounting, I am interested in buying that book on your recommendation if you think it is geared up to Level 3, I have looked on Amazon and there are a few versions with that title, do you know when yours was published? ICB offer two books for this exam Advanced Bookkeeping and an Advanced Bookkeeping Kit, have you considered any of these books. The Level 3 course looks a bit harder than Levels 1 & 2, Ideal Schools tell me that with on average around 120 hours study, students should get through the course, in your experience do you think this is realistic?
Phil - Thanks for the recommendation I'll order the book from Amazon and try doing the course on my own first. Would you recommend becoming a student member of the ICB and what do you get for your £45?
Honda Girl - Thanks for the supporting words, it's really encouraging to hear from someone in the same position. I have a 6, 4 and 3 month old but want to take advantage of being on Mat leave so I can start earning as soon as my statutory pay stops.
This link is to the book I ordered from Amazon: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0273712128/ref=oss_product Using the "look inside" function I see the 11th Ed was published in 2008, looked on other sites and satisfied myself the book with the jar of coins on the front is most up to date, I do hope it is! Re Kaplan books, I posted a request on the forum a week ago asking if anyone had tried them and what they thought but I got no reply. Just going by the only customer review posted on Amazon, I was put off. Also Amazon had just put the Kaplan price up when I reviewed my shopping basket, so that was my mind made up and I ordered Frank Wood's book instead.
Hi Clare,
You have to be ICB student member to take ICB exams, as to what you get, best place to look is ICB website: http://www.bookkeepers.org.uk/Homepage Have a look in "membership", also useful stuff on exam structure, syllabuses (syllabi?) etc.
R - ...re hours for Level3 exams, all I can say is I've seen enough on the forum to know level 3 is quite a step up from level 2 both manual and computerised exams.
Having done well in previous exams (99% L1 and 100% L2 all within a few weeks), I was tempted to do book the L3M exam straight away and do it within a few weeks (I have a head start as did AAT up to 6 years ago so have covered it all before but need to refresh the little grey cells). But have changed my mind and intend to study properly before taking the plunge (exams are expensive so want to pass every time!).
Key thing is to read the syllabus on the ICB website and look at past papers, then you can concentrate on what you really need to be good at for the exams. Business Accounting 1 is about 1000 pges long, no way I'm gonna try to learn all that, just cherry pick the bits I need for now. The book will then act as great reference source when I finally get working as a bookkeeper... P
Hi, I am getting ready to take my level 1 manual exam, having had no training etc in bookkeeping at all. I did enrol with a distance learning provider but as honda girl said, i could have done it without the college but not without a good book. I personally would recommend using books, they are cheaper and generally easier to understand, the book i have used is Business Accounts by David Cox alongside information downloaded from the internet. As someone else has also mentioned, looking at the ICB website gives you a good idea with regards what you need to study. Good Luck with your studies!
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