Alternative to cao for ambitious school leavers
Longford and Westmeath Education and Training Board (LWETB), in partnership with Cenit College and the Institute of Certified Public Accountants in Ireland (CPA Ireland), have announced details of an initiative for school leavers seeking a career in accountancy.
The CPA Accounts Executive Traineeship is a one-year, full-time academic programme followed by a three-month training contract.
Students can progress to further accounting studies with CPA Ireland on a part-time basis, supplemented by three years supervised training in a work environment to become fully qualified accountants.
The programme is a fully funded direct route into a career in accountancy for students who are, perhaps due to financial or logistical reasons, unable to attend higher education to complete a primary business or accounting qualification.
The programme will launch in Athlone. The tuition will be delivered in lectures at the LWETB Athlone Training Centre by Cenit College, a CPA gold star approved learning provider with experienced lecturers from a range of accounting and financial backgrounds. Subsequently the programme will be rolled out on a national scale.
Dr Christy Duffy, chief executive of Longford and Westmeath Education and Training Board, said:
“This is not just another bookkeeping or business course, but a programme which provides suitable candidates with the first step towards becoming a fully qualified professional accountant, with an internationally renowned CPA accounting qualification.
"Many students are now acutely aware of the financial burden which attending a college course can place on both themselves and their families.
"We are seeking to address that need by providing committed and ambitious students with an opportunity to embark on a path to becoming a fully qualified professional accountant through a one year school leaver programme.”
Eamonn Siggins, chief executive of CPA, explains how the institute is expanding the options open to those who opt for a world of work over college by offering a more experiential model of training with this programme.
“Historically training in accountancy was conducted through a combination of study and work placement, and we are moving back towards that model.
"On completion of the one year programme, and three-month work placement, students can progress to further accounting studies with CPA Ireland on a part-time basis in order to complete their professional accountancy qualification.
“One of the great benefits of studying to become a qualified CPA accountant is that you can do so while continuing to work full-time and earn an income.”
Further information available from Jean Ryan jryan@cpairleland.ie, 01 4251056.