Graduate Opportunities, ICAEW (Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales)

A CAREER TO TAKE YOU EVERYWHERE

The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) is the largest professional chartered accountancy body in Europe, with more than 128,000 members in more than 143 countries. Our premier qualification, the ACA, is recognised around the world as the leading financially-based business qualification. It is the qualification for business leaders that inspires business confidence.

The figures speak for themselves, ACAs make up more than 67% of the FTSE 100 qualified accountants acting as Finance Directors or CEOs. That’s four times the number holding any other single qualification.

Becoming an ACA creates limitless options; you can choose to work in all areas of business from chartered accountant firms (public practice), commercial organisations and multi-nationals to not-for-profit, charitable and public sector bodies.

 

ACHIEVING THE ACA QUALIFICATION

The ACA is a unique balance of academic study and on-the-job training providing you with a depth and range of finance and business skills that other qualifications can only aspire to.

To qualify as a chartered accountant, students must complete a training contract with an ICAEW authorised training organisation. There are more than 4,000 vacancies available throughout our 2,200 authorised training organisations across the world.

To secure an ACA training contract, training organisations will generally expect students to possess:

• a proven academic track record
• a degree or higher from a UK university (or equivalent) with a 2:1 degree classification (equivalent) or higher
• 240 – 280 UCAS tariff score (or equivalent).

As a graduate you will study for the ACA while in full-time employment, earning a competitive salary throughout. ACA trainees can expect to double their salary during their training contract, with salaries for newly qualified ACAs comparing favourably with other industries.

 

SECURING A TRAINING CONTRACT

At the start of your last year at University, you’ll need to apply directly to those organisations of interest. However, our website www.icaew.com/TV lists details such as entry requirements, deadlines for applications, preferred method of applications and will allow you to search for vacancies by geographical area.

 

A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE

Chartered accountants are in demand by all business sectors and this means that competition for contracts is high. When you apply for positions make sure you full research which organisations are of interest to ensure the best match for you. You’ll need to convince a prospective employer that you are the right person for the job, so do your homework. You will then be able to spend more time tailoring each application to the particular organisation – something that is vital to helping your application stand out from the crowd.

Good preparation for an interview is essential. Familiarise yourself with the job description and the company. Prepare yourself for questions that relate to your strengths, weaknesses and achievements. Refer to our Hints & Tips page on our website.

T +44 (0)1908 248 040
E careers@icaew.com
www.icaew.com/careers

Apply now