As part of our Get Britain Working campaign we have found 23,044 jobs in accountancy.
And while you may think you need weighty degrees or years of training to get these jobs, the truth is there are openings for all levels.
Mike Day, of the Accounting Academy Partnership, says: “Accountancy is a great career with opportunities to work in so many different fields.”
From full- to part-time college courses, plus on-the-job training, there are options to suit everyone with a head for figures, even school leavers.
And there are a growing number of apprenticeships available. Mike says: “Apprenticeships in accountancy benefit big firms and small firms and enable apprentices to reinforce what they learn in the classroom straight away in the workplace. Everyone wins.”
It’s worth remembering that once you have the training and any relevant qualifications, your earning power can be seriously boosted.
As an accounts clerk, for instance, your starting salary could be around £15,000 a year and with experience you may earn up to £22,000 a year. As a senior clerk you may earn up to £25,000 a year, and potentially £30,000 or more as an accounts manager.
WHERE ARE THE JOBS?
At Jobcentre Plus, www.direct.gov.uk/jobseekers we found 7,787 jobs including 1,976 accounts clerks, 656 debt collectors, and 569 analysts.
These range from a trainee accountant in Manchester (from £11,000) and a data administrator in Leeds (from £14,000) to a data inputter in Portsmouth (£6.50 an hour), a trainee data analyst in Birmingham (from £12,500) and an accounts payable clerk in Kings Lynn (£13,000).
At www.fish4jobs.co.uk we found 876 relevant jobs such as a payroll assistant in Newcastle (£15,000), a purchase ledger clerk in Newmarket (£15,000) and a credit controller in Staffordshire (from £18,000).
At www.reed.co.uk there are 11,924 accountancy jobs made up of 7,445 general jobs and 4,479 for those with qualifications.
Roles include an investment administrator in Newcastle (from £11,000), a part-time credit controller in Droitwich (£11,500), and an assistant management accountant in Norwich (from £18,000).
Other useful agencies include www.hays.co.uk which has 2,457 accountancy jobs such as a finance assistant in Edinburgh (from £18,000).
WORKER'S VIEW
Katie Wells had no idea what she wanted to do when she left school, so she got a job at the local Co-op while she made up her mind.
“I had A-levels in IT and Business and was thinking about going on to their trainee manager programme when I discovered I was pregnant,” says Katie, 21, from Stevenage.
Little Charlie was born and Katie began to feel as if opportunities were slipping away from her.
“I had lost all confidence and felt people viewed me as a stereotypical teenage mum. I knew I wanted to do more than work in a shop and that I still wanted to study, so my dad suggested looking at what apprenticeships might be available.”
After some research, Katie applied for several apprenticeships ranging from IT to business admin, and even accountancy – something she had never even thought about before.
“I thought accountancy would be really hard and involve going to university,” she recalls. “Ironically, it was the first application I heard back from and was invited in for an interview.
“I was terribly nervous but got dressed up and went in with as much confidence as I could possibly gather.”
Just days later she heard that Base 52, a small local firm, was more than happy to take her on. In March last year Katie started her apprenticeship, which involves three days a week at college and two in the office where she gets to put the college theory into practice.
“It has been hard work doing this with a baby, but I have supportive parents who help look after Charlie who is now 22 months old,” Katie says.
Katie has completed levels two and three of the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) qualifications and is now working towards gaining her level four diploma, still as part of the apprenticeship.
When she finishes she will be a fully qualified AAT member with valuable commercial experience.
“The apprenticeship has definitely made me feel more confident and better about myself,” she says. “It’s given my son and me the chance of a really good future.
“Maybe at some point I will look into studying further to become a forensic accountant. That would involve working in the area of fraud and money-laundering and preparing evidence for courts.
“I reckon that would be really interesting.”
TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT
Once you’re working as an accounts clerk or any junior accounts job, most of your training will be on the job while you help moreexperienced staff.
Employers may also be able to support you with study for accounting and book-keeping qualifications so you can work your way up the career ladder.
As your experience grows, you could work towards more advanced qualifications such as:
AAT Accounting Qualification (at Level 2 Certificate, Level 3 Diploma and Level 4 Diploma levels). Find out more at www.aat.org.uk
ACCA Foundations in Accountancy Awards, such as the Certified Accounting Technician (CAT) Qualification. www.accaglobal.com.
IAB Level 3 Diploma in Accounting and Advanced Book-keeping or Computerised Accounting. www.iab.org.uk.
ICB Level 3 Diploma in Book-keeping (manual or computerised). www.bookkeepers.org.uk.
CONTACTS
For more on apprenticeships and careers in accounting, visit www.accountingapprenticeships.co.uk.
The Accounting Academy Partnership is part of the Aspire Achieve Advance Group which offers training in accounting, IT and other related sectors.
Visit www.3aaa.co.uk for more details.
Read more: http://www.mirror.co.uk/advice/jobs/2012/01/19/how-to-get-a-job-in-accountancy-115875-23706272/#ixzz1jtX6lvQc