Hello,
I became a qualified bookkeeper in an EU country 6 years ago but since I moved to the UK 5 years ago, I'm obviously no longer certified. It means absolutely nothing in the UK but at least I have some accountancy background. I currently work as a credit controller which I enjoy but when I think about my long term plans, I'd like to go into Management Accounts at some point.
I was looking at doing an ICB course (Levels 1, 2, 3) but then got confused. Would I be better off with AICB to start me off? Or should I do something completely different.
I work for the parent company of the actual company I would love to do management accounts for in the future and they do not use Sage, we all use Oracle. This is why I'm wondering whether there would be much use in doing the Sage course.
Can anybody be so kind as to recommend anything or help me with advice?
Thank you very much in advance.
I appreciate how frustrating that this can be. I've had some exceptional Polish guys working with me who were at the top of their game in Poland but basically could only get trainee positions well below their level of competence over here. Good for UK businesses when you can get a PHd for the price of an unqualified schoolleaver but not so good for the Polish guys.
The current job market is also certainly not going to help your prospects at all.
Going the self employed route, as you come to this with non transferable qualifications but with knowledge of bookkeeping you may be able to take the exams of the ICB directly with just a bit of revision to bring you back up to speed on things that you may have forgotten.
I know that I for one wouldn't be able to just sit an exam without a bit of brushing up even though I spend my entire life in bookkeeping and accounts.
You can set up with a prictice license at AICB but some restrictions as to what you are allowed to do remain. For example, my understanding is that you cannot file limited company accounts until you reach MICB (although I could be out of date on that information, you would be better off checking with the ICB themselves).
As for a Sage course, it is the most common of the software packages and even though it's not software that I like I do use it occassionally.
If you set up on your own price of software is going to be a big factor and multi company licences for sage are very expensive. You might want to look at VT Transaction+ for accounts (which will run for up to 99 companies the same as Quickbooks) and either 12 pay or Moneysoft Payroll for your payroll processing.
I've done credit control myself and if you get the right company with a real credit control department rather than a call centre type environment then as you say it can be really interesting work. At the moment if you are happy where you are I would certainly not consider giving it up for bookkeeping as at times it seems that there are more bookkeepers than companies to service (slight exageration there).
Best idea is as you suggest getting AICB (or AIB) under your belt then doing bookkeeping in the background almost as a hobby until you build up enough clients to let it take over from the day job.
kindest regards,
Shaun.
p.s. Welcome to the forum. Hope to see you as a net contributor in the not too far distant future.
__________________
Shaun
Responses are not meant as a substitute for professional advice. Answers are intended as outline only the advice of a qualified professional with access to all relevant information should be sought before acting on any response given.
Below is some info you may find useful if looking at the ICB. Should you study with a provider the liklihood is you will be learning Sage under the ICB computerised Level 2 and 3 qualifications.
ICB have a trading membership tier system which are AICB and MICB
AICB allows members to provide Bookkeeping services to final balance to Sole Traders only, you can perform Bookkeeping services to limited companies but only to trial balance, AICB membership requires qualifications in Levels 1 and 2 Manual Bookkeeping and Level 2 Computerised Bookkeeping.
Should you wish to provide Bookkeeping services to charities, corporate, partnerships, limited companies as well as sole traders then MICB membership will be required. For this qualifications in Levels 1, 2 and 3 Manual Bookkeeping and Levels 2 and 3 Computerised Bookkeeping will be required. Self Assessment and Payroll are optional but if gained means more services can be provided.
As an ICB member they will sort out all the legalities inasmuch as indemnity etc. The ICB also have a member benefits scheme where discounts are available on the high street and travel. Why not give James a call at the ICB 0845 060 2345, I am sure he will be happy to answer any of your questions.
Thank you so much for the welcoming and for your replies.
I have since realised that it's probably the AAT course I should be looking at. At least for the time being, I have no intentions of being self-imployed and taking up clients for bookkeeping. Although this would be ideal for a mum wishing to spend as much time with the kids as possible, but I don't feel confident doing my own stuff.
I made the mistake of leaving my details on a website, in the knowledge that I would be receiving an information package about all the available courses with sufficient details to help me choose the right direction of study. I ended up getting a phone call from the HLC. A lady left a message of my voice mail last Thursday or Friday evening. I just haven't had a chance to ring back, also because I wanted to do plenty of more research. The information material they had provided was absolutely useless. So I got another call last night and she sounded annoyed that I hadn't returned the call. !!!! They are trying to sell something so I guess they should avoid trying to make me feel guilty. I didn't.... Anyway, I got the usual sales talk. Sounded like I could go straight into Level 3 but I said I would prefer to do Level 2 as well, given that English is only my second language and I'd hate to run into something that I had not covered in my course 6-7 years ago. I'm just not confident, and also, other than working in purchase ledger and credit control ever since, I haven't used any of the more serious Accountancy stuff.
Anyway, they wanted an answer straight away. I was baffled and said this is something that would need a bit more consideration and planning. I work part time, I have a toddler, we're planning another kiddie for next year, so I can't make a snap decision. Then outcome the 'this is a special price, valid for a very short time only' pressure talk. This annoyed me!!! To top this off, the special price for Levels 2 + 3 was £2,600!!!!
No way am I going to use them.
I've read quite a bit on this forum, I know so much more about whats available and feel so great about the prospect of doing some studying and getting a recognised qualification.
Just one last question, please. I am very happy to work in credit control for the next 5 years. Unless the bully at work pushes me out, I can say that I have the best job in the world and I work in one of the 2 industries I have always wanted to work in. I could not concentrate on my career move until the kids are at school. Or at least that's how I feel at the moment, maybe I'm a chicken.... Anyway, if I want to move into Management Accounts in 5 years or plus, do you think I can start my AAT course now, given that I will never have more time to study than now?
there have been a lot of issues reported by people on this site with the hard sell tactics of that organisation. I despair how they manage to maintain their position on the prefered suppliers list. But, having not used this company myself (nor having any intention of using them) I cannot comment about the quality of their materials once you get past the hard sell.
If you want AAT look at these providers (in no particular order) :
Premier Training
Ideal Schools.
Kaplan Training.
All three have excellent prices and have been recomended by people on this site who have actually done the courses.
There have been recent threads espechially in relation to Kaplan training. No time to dig them out at the moment but if you do a goodgle search of somethiing like "site:www.book-keepers.org.uk kaplan premier AAT" you should get a good selection of answers back.
For management accounts where you have five years free why not look at the next rung up the ladder. You could do CIMA in that time where AAT will probably take you only 2-3 years in total.
Also, my understanding is that CIMA is like ACCA and can be done entirely via distance learning where AAT requires a training provider.
If you're up for the challenge of becomeing a fully fledged management accountant then its certainly worth looking at CIMA and comparing that back to the AAT that you are thinkiing of.
Kind regard,
Shaun.
P.S. Appreciate how hard it is to make the right choice with so many different options but if I were in your position then I would seriously consider the CIMA option. Whatever decision you make good luck with the qualification and may you pass all of the exams frst time.
__________________
Shaun
Responses are not meant as a substitute for professional advice. Answers are intended as outline only the advice of a qualified professional with access to all relevant information should be sought before acting on any response given.
Starting with AAT and then taking the exemptions from CIMA is another way of doing it. You can gain full MAAT status (if you start studying at level 3) within 2 years without study taking over your whole life, which could hopefully give you a chance of increased salary while you study toward CIMA.
This is actually what i told myself about 12 months ago, AAT to CIMA............(then Shaun started taunting me with ACCA, now i'm a confused, nervous wreck, an absolute shadow of my former self.)
Hi Everybody and a Happy New Year to one and all. Referring to Shaun's reply, once you do get past the hard sell, I can assure you that the quality of the materials are certainly no better. Kind Regards Sue
So sorry to hear you have been subjected to unwanted hard sell. This is a good forum where unbiased advice is provided and there are some excellent providers out there, Shaun is spot on with his advice and i wish you well, your english by the way seems fine. Please let the forum know how you get on. Good Luck.
Dave
-- Edited by TRAINING LINK on Tuesday 10th of January 2012 04:56:08 PM
-- Edited by TRAINING LINK on Tuesday 10th of January 2012 05:25:54 PM
