To become a CA, you start by applying for a three year training contract with an organisation that ICAS has authorised to train CA students. You´ll find a stimulating and varied range of firms to work with all over the UK, Luxembourg and Jersey. From public practice to business and industry. From huge multinationals to smaller, dynamic companies and firms, each has their own advantages and rewards.
So, take your time and choose carefully. Do some background research and consider all your options. Some firms offer Summer internships which will give you invaluable experience. Remember, CA training is a big commitment on both sides.
You can find further information and contact details for many of our authorised employers by downloading the Directory of Training Vacancies.
Training with an accountancy firm
This is traditionally a very popular route. Accountancy firms offer clients a range of services, such as audit, tax, management accounting, consulting and forensic accounting services. These firms fall broadly into three categories and provide trainees with experience according to their size and client base.
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Small-sized firms
Small-sized firms are often community-based. Their clients are generally entrepreneurs and might include local retailers and manufacturers. In many cases these clients are too small to employ a finance director, so this role will be played by the firm. Trainees working with these clients will get a first hand experience of the whole business.
Firms in this category tend to offer a personal approach and the partners in the firms have a broad knowledge of accountancy and business issues. They can provide a wide range of services from book keeping and accounting to tax planning, auditing and management consultancy.
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Medium-sized firms
Medium–sized firms in many cases have a national network of offices and are often part of an international association. Their clients' lists are diverse and range from independent businesses to household name companies covering all products and service sectors.
Client contact is something for which every young professional should strive and, as with small firms, this comes sooner rather than later in medium-sized firms. It may feel that you've been thrown in at the deep end, but professionally it enables a more rapid route to career development and progression. Work becomes more enjoyable as you are continually being exposed to new interesting tasks due to the diverse client base.
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Large firms
Large firms that include the “Big 4” are in a position to take on a large number of graduate trainees each year. A career with a large firm gives you grounding in how businesses operate and exposure to some of the world's most prestigious companies, across a range of industries. The working environment is also quite distinct. It is very team orientated and often specialised.
As with small and medium firms staffs are expected to relish a high degree of autonomy at an early stage in managing their own deadlines, clients and workloads. Training with a large firm probably offers the best opportunity to work or travel overseas and be exposed to global best practices.
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Training in industry
Many students find training in business an advantageous route and half of CAs pursue a career in this field. Training in business provides opportunities for trainees to gain experience in areas such as financial management, financial accounting, taxation, information technology, internal auditing and cost and management accounting.
Companies as diverse as BP and Deutsche Bank are now developing their own CA professionals with specialist industry knowledge and all-round business skills using the Institute´s Training Outside Public Practice (TOPP) scheme.
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Quotes
“Think carefully over whether you´d rather work in industry or practice. Choose a firm that is supportive and understanding with regards exams and study periods.”
June Crawford, Credit Analyst, Deutsche Bank
“The CA qualification is a huge time commitment and is not something that can be achieved easily without effort. Therefore it is important to do some more research and try and get some experience. Lots of firms offer summer internships. This should help confirm either way whether or not the CA qualification is for you and if you get involved at this stage you may even be lucky enough to get a job offer which can take the stress out the final year at university.
“Think outside the Big 4 and the big banks. There is often a huge pressure on students to get into the Big 4. I don´t doubt that there are some fantastic opportunities to be had within the Big 4 but a mid tier firm offers some of the benefits of Big 4, such as structured training and exposure to larger entities, but with earlier responsibility and variety.”
Rachel Hamilton, Audit Senior, Scott-Moncrieff
“Be careful when choosing what training firm – make sure it accurately reflects your personality – three years is a long time to be tied into a job/firm you are not madly keen on.”
John Donnelly, Account Executive, Aon Insurance Manager (Bermuda) Ltd
“If you are training with a big firm and want to gain experience in other areas other than audit – then ask and keep asking!”
Mark Crutchley, Director, Schuh
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