ICAEW vs ACCA

Last week Sunway called up and inform me that there's an offer of the programme called ICAEW and they're recruiting some people... I think they called out around 20++ but as to what i know most of them didn't turn up. This morning i went for the seminar. Only about 12 people.

ICAEW (a.k.a Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales) is the World most well known and prestigous accounting professional body compared to ACCA when i went on9 to check up for some information. But what they offer is abit different. ICAEW stresses on practical training and gaining experience while studying.

So today, two firms, the BDO Binder(One of the Big 5 they called themsleves, a growing consultancy firm with very down to earth staffs and employers) and Deliotte (One of the Best Firm also) gave their seminar and talk.

Basically both firm works the same. Starting next year, we are employed by one of these two firms as an employee. And most probably we will start with Auditing. Normal working days 9-5pm with a monthly salary (not bad the pay for us "undergraduate") and there's definately overtime at the peak period. Make it short, we are treated equally as compared to the normal employees. We can't skip our work, however we have benefits as well. Bonuses, remuneration increament, paid study leave, annual leave etc...

Well the toughest part is that we will have to study on our own during the weekdays after work and our classes will be conducted by sunway as well on the weekends. So basically its really pack and it will be stressful!well, instead of saying its stressful i would say its challenging and interesting as i have this opportunity to get expose to the real accounting world outside...

ICAEW has got two stages i.e the professional stage and the final stage, each consist of 12 and 3 papers. As for CAT students we are given an exemption of 5 papers. That means we will have 5 years time to finish 15 papers. Where the last paper at the final stage can only be completed at the last year of our contract because it is mainly case study.

People might think isnt it a waste that i have to re take a 5 yrs programme? Well, its basically yhe same. ICAEW, in 5 years i can be a CA..but for ACCA, after 2 yrs, i must have 3 yrs working experience b4 CA.

Of course there are Pros and Cons hanging around my mind and each of our thoughts.

BDO have got another special offer that we could take up the job one month for a try and if we really choose to give up, they don't mind letting us back to ACCA.

I (some of us)have decided to take up this job. I know that the only way to succeed is not to look back when i have made this decision and be committed to what i have decided.

The only thing i miss is my current class and some of my lecturers who will be teaching me next year, supposedly....if i don't fail my CAT, or if there's nothing bad happened to me, i think i will gotta say bye to u all!...muax!...love u guys...esp CAT Group3!...the amount is getting lesser....