David scores top accounting marks

SWINFORD native David Gordon has secured one of the top marks in the country in the Diploma for Accounting Technicians programme this year.

Accounting Technicians Ireland’s qualification is recognised as the fastest pathway to a professional accounting career.

David (48), who lives in Clare Village, Dublin, opted to study accountancy online when he decided to make a career change after spending 15 years in mobile phone retail management.

He found the two-year online course choice less daunting than the prospect of spending four years studying for a degree.

"I love the way the course is set up, in that you get qualifications from the get-go for every year, rather than waiting until the end of the course," he said.

"I was working in Coolock so the thought of finishing work and travelling into town for the part-time course just didn't float my boat.

"The online course means you have to be very self-motivated to keep on top of everything but the support I received from tutors was second to none."

The Accounting Technicians Ireland qualification is a passport to a rewarding career in accountancy or business. With flexible courses nationwide, you can obtain this professional qualification in as little as two years.

ATI’s qualifications, offered full or part-time in over 70 colleges throughout the island, are open to school and college leavers, mature students and the countless number of people who have been working in industry or small practice firms for years but have no formal training.

The accounting qualification provides access to employment opportunities for a broad range of accounting and finance roles and will enable students to further progress to senior financial management posts.

Accounting technicians are qualified accounting professionals that work at all levels of finance throughout the private and public sector, industry and commerce and in accountancy practices.

Accounting technicians can perform a wide range of finance roles, from accounts staff to financial controller and beyond.

For instance, they can do financial accounting and budgeting, costing and credit control, payroll administration and tax returns.

More experienced accounting technicians may often perform senior managerial tasks and audits.

The two-year Diploma for Accounting Technicians programme is also the first step to a full qualification in accountancy.

“This is a pan-sectoral qualification which meets the needs of industry, practice and the public sector, and graduates enjoy exemptions from the full range of professional accountancy bodies including Chartered Accountants Ireland, ACCA, CPA, CIMA, IIPA as well as Higher Education third level accounting programmes,” said Gillian Doherty, ATI’s Chief Operations Officer.

“A recent analysis of the labour market by the National Skills Bulletin confirmed a continuing high demand for accounting technician skills.

“Many businesses finance the programme for potential Accounting Technicians – recognising the benefits of having a qualified technician run the financial side of the business while the owner develops the entrepreneurial end.”

Visit www.numbersindna.ie for more details.