Do you feel that a full professional accountancy qualification may be too big a step for you just now? Are you interested in accounting, but don’t want to formally train to be an accountant? Or are you simply not sure? Fret not!

Some accountancy bodies also offer an entry level qualification that focuses on accounting support roles. These are more administrative roles in an accounts department that don’t require a full accounting qualification, which can then be used as a stepping stone to a full accounting qualification. Some bodies will even give you exam exemptions on the back of such qualifications.

Entry level qualifications include:

• Accounting Technicians Ireland (Chartered Accountants Ireland);
• Certified Accounting Technician (ACCA);
• Certificate in Business Accounting (CIMA); and
• Certificate in Business & Accounting (ICPAI).

We will blog a little more about these in the future but if you are interested in talking a half step into accounting, then get in contact with the relevant bodies for more information.

(Disclaimer alert! There can be a pretty big difference in salary between a part-qualified/cert/technician role and a fully-qualified accountant role. Becoming fully-qualified will mean you get paid more… it’s compensation for having done the exams and for taking on a role with more responsibility. Doctors often get paid more than nurses, right? The same goes in accounting.)