Earn as you Learn with Accounting Technicians Ireland

Earn as you Learn with Accounting Technicians Ireland PDST - 10 September 2016

A few facts about… Accounting Technicians Ireland

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College locations Island-wide Offices in Belfast & Dublin Four study options Partner body of Chartered Accountants Ireland 4

Background: A Practical Path to Accountancy Years ago, young people did their articles in accountancy firms and studied in the evening to become accountants. The modern apprenticeship in accountancy offers much more than that, time off to go to class, college and work place mentors. You can earn while you learn. The Higher Level Apprenticeship in Accountancy & Finance has been running since September 2014 in the North of Ireland. We partnered with Belfast Met and SRC, Newry initially. 27 apprentices and 17 employers participated in the first programme. Those students will graduate as Accounting Technicians this Autumn. Many will be offered the opportunity to participate in a further three-year Chartered Accountancy apprenticeship. 5

Programme Expansion In September 2015, the programme was extended across all six regional colleges in Northern Ireland. There was an additional intake of 70 new Higher Level Apprentices, supported by 58 employers. A total of 90 plus accounting apprentices are now studying and working across Northern Ireland in all sectors. We have firms like Deloitte, BDO and Grant Thornton participating, among others. In September 2016 we have an intake of 80 across the six colleges again. 6

Programme Approved in the South The Apprenticeship Council, a Department of Education & Skills Initiative, was set up to review apprenticeships in the Republic and develop recommendations and an implementation plan for new apprenticeships. There was a call for submissions for new apprenticeships, they received a great response and Accounting Technicians Ireland’s apprenticeship in Accountancy was approved in January, subject to QQI & Solas validation, which we are going through now. We have our first cohort of Accounting Technicians ‘in training’ this September. This is creating between 70 – 80 jobs. We have received very strong endorsement from colleges and employers nationwide as well as from key education stakeholders such as the Institute of Guidance Counsellors and National Parents Council Post Primary. 7

Dual Education – Cultural shift “The success of the programme has already helped to drive a cultural shift in the perception of apprenticeships in the North, and this trend will continue when the programme takes hold here in the South. ” - Betty Mc. Laughlin, President of the IGC. “It’s a dual system of education which makes a worthwhile and fulfilling career in accounting accessible to a wider body of talented students, and its launch here this September is certain to result in a win-win for all concerned. ” - Betty Mc. Laughlin, President of the IGC. The ERSI for example predicts a 25% growth in undergraduate entrants over a 20 -year period to 2030. There is a clear, increasing demand to create viable alternatives to professional and higher education without the financial stresses of student loans. 8

Key Benefits to the Earn as You Lean model ü You earn a minimum hourly rate of € 9. 15 across a two-year work contract ü Model allows you to learn from the bottom up and develop valuable, on-the-job expertise ü More businesses are looking to the model as it breaks into new fields ü There is a countrywide demand for accounting technicians. In good times and bad – their skillsets are required 9

Salary Expectations 2016 Accounting Technician Graduate… € 24 -26 K … with 3 years’ Industry experience: € 26 -30 K … with 3 years’ Practice experience: € 38 -€ 45 K 10

Companies

Companies

Features ü On-the-job’ training combined with free college tuition via Monaghan Institute. ü Apprentices ‘earn as they learn’, taking home the full-time industry salary for an incoming trainee Accounting Technician. ü Large and small accountancy practices, service firms and industry and public sector employers are taking on apprentices. 13

Programme Fundamentals A support and mentoring team to include an employer-based mentor plus ongoing support from college team College/employer collaboration to ensure the programme and participants stays on track Accounting Technicians support the apprentice with a work-based learning programme, virtual classes, study support and student membership Opportunities to progress to further study via Chartered Accountants Ireland 14

Academic Programme

What do participants study? Delivery Pattern – four subjects per year for two years Year 1 Year 2 1. Taxation 1. Advanced Taxation 2. Financial Accounting 2. Advanced Financial Accounting 3. Law & Ethics 3. Management Accounting 4. Business Management 4. IAS Study Leave – Minimum 3 weeks Essential texts – ATI Textbooks Candidate completes e-portfolio based on their work experience 16

Work Programme

Work-based Learning – ‘The Process’ 18

Assessing Your Learning • 3 Learning Logs and e. Portfolio reviewed and signed off by Workplace Mentor each quarter • Self-assessment report to be completed at the end of each year; reviewed and signed off by Workplace Mentor • All work submitted to ATI for assessment at the end of year for assessment by the Work Programme Examining Board 19

Cathriona Hallahan Managing Director, Microsoft Ireland is an Accounting Technician “I did my accounting technicians qualification more than two decades ago and the skills it gave me are as relevant today as when I first qualified. ” 21

Chartered Accountancy Progression

ACA Qualification Year 3: CAP 1 – Finance & Management Accounting modules to be delivered via classroom tuition in local college Year 4: CAP 2 – Blended Learning Delivery Year 5: FAE – Blended Learning Delivery 23

Bernard Brogan’s a Chartered Accountant! 24

Programme Eligibility Criteria – cont’d Applicants aged 18 -22 years CAO Points Leaving Certificate applicants must have a minimum of 300 CAO points or equivalent with a pass in English and at least one subject from Maths or Accountancy. Other Qualifications Those who hold other qualifications are also eligible if it is a QQI Level 5 or above. Alternatively the CAO points and subject requirements noted above apply. 25

Programme Criteria – cont’d Applicants aged 23 years and above Mature applicants are also eligible, if they meet certain criteria. Employer Discretion In all cases individual employers have the discretion to enhance criteria beyond the minimum academic standards. Applications meeting the entry requirements will be forwarded to employers by ATI. Employers participating in the programme will recruit directly from this pool of applicants. 26

Getting in Touch Parents & students who want more information should contact Aoife Kennedy @ akennedy@accountingtechniciansireland. ie Tel: (01) 649 8126