The economy of the United Kingdom is slowly but steadily recovering from the global economic downturn. This means that the employment markets are on the go again. There is strong evidence that the investment banks in the London City are planning to hire hundreds of new employees. The news for the accountants is even more optimistic – there are forecasts that they might be around 53,000 accountancy vacancies this year alone. Of course, you might prefer not to get a demanding job in the City. There are other job opportunities in accounting as well.
You can choose to become a management accountant. Their work requires the production of financial analysis as well as financial and product control. The positions are demanding and require a lot of technical knowledge and skills. You need to have special training and experience in order to get such a job. But as long as you have what it takes to be a management accountant you will certainly appreciate the job and the remuneration in particular. Many accountants earn more than £250,000 a year.
Alternatively you can work in a certified accountancy firm that provides all types of such services. You will be doing budgeting, bookkeeping, and auditing and tax calculations. If you get a job in a larger firm you are also likely to work on company mergers and acquisitions. Such a career is a bit less demanding, but the professionals are also quite well paid. You can always choose to work for a smaller company or even run your own accountancy business.
As you can see the opportunities in accountancy in London and in the rest of the UK are many and different. But before you choose a career path you will need to have the proper training. The majority of accountants in the United Kingdom have a university degree in accounting or in mathematics. It is a good idea for people who want to have such a career to have higher education, but it is not mandatory.
High school graduates have the opportunity to take a course with any of the chartered accountant associations and institutes in the United Kingdom. The course entry requirements for applicants vary slightly, but you are required to have good grades in mathematics and English. Foreign applicants are also accepted as long as they meet the standard course requirements. The organizations provide UK education visa advice to foreign nationals.
Most of the accounting courses provided by the different organizations last three years. But they are quite flexible. You can study and work at the same time. This gives more opportunities for those seeking employment in the UK. However, all nationals outside the European Union should arrange their student or work visa first. Generally, you may work while being a student, but the hours per week are limited.
In order to become a certified accountant in the United Kingdom you need to pass an exam with one of the chartered associations. This should not be a problem for those individuals who have taken a specialized course.