Accenture - Tom Collins, ACCA Member, Waterford IT Graduate
I graduated from Waterford Institute of Technology with a Bachelor of Business Studies in 2005 and my first job was working for a fund accounting company in Dublin. After four years of college the last thing on my mind was more exams. However, over time it was clear that the people who were promoted were the ones who were ACCA qualified. Therefore it was not a difficult choice that to progress in my career, ACCA was a great place to start.
I chose ACCA as I felt it was the most widely recognised accounting qualification, and offered exemptions on exams I had completed while in college. I believed that having an ACCA qualification on my CV would not only emphasise a trademark of professionalism but would also open many other career opportunities.
I moved to Accenture in 2008, taking up a position as Accounting Analyst on the Nordics Finance & Accounting team based out of Dublin. The role involved reporting, analysing, and reconciling all Balance Sheet accounts, performing monthly P&L analysis to management while highlighting any potential future concerns, and also performing the monthly intercompany and revenue analysis. I suddenly realised how practical the ACCA syllabus was to current practices in the workplace.
I did find the work/study balance challenging; however the support offered by Accenture, the people in the company and the focus on the professional development programs helped me immensely.
Accenture's strong focus on talent management ensures the company is constantly supporting employees to widen their skill-sets and upskill where possible. The company is always willing to facilitate employees to work across different areas of the global business, allowing for new professional experiences whilst moving their careers forward.
One example of the support I received is the "study group" facility, whereby a qualified accountant in the company facilitates study group sessions with the student accountants. We discuss approaches to questions, tips from other colleagues, and the facilitator is always available to answer any question at any time. I feel this is a great asset and I have no doubt it has been a factor in my success.
When I qualified there were a number of opportunities for a newly qualified accountant in the company, and I was subsequently promoted to an Accounting Specialist position within months of becoming an ACCA member.
In the future I can see countless opportunities to continue to climb the corporate ladder and progress with my career, and I do think these opportunities all started with the decision to do the ACCA exams.
‘I chose ACCA as I felt it was the most widely recognised accounting qualification’
