Fast-track your path to success
IN the minds of many students and parents, the accounting and finance profession is synonymous with job security and financial rewards.
These are some of the reasons accountancy ranks at the top of their career preference.
ACCA Malaysia head David Chin said: “As our ACCA students and members can attest to, those who graduate with our qualification and attain ACCA membership are guaranteed employability among top corporations in the world.
“Not only can they enjoy access to any industry and business specialisation of their choice, they will also be assured of a global career that transverses 180 countries.”
SPM students who are keen to build a successful career in finance can do so through an accelerated pathway that will enable them to become professionally certified by the age of 20.
This pathway calls for students to study the Certified Accounting Technician (CAT) Qualification immediately after SPM and before pursuing the ACCA Qualification.
Students who score grade A in Accounting Principles for SPM will be exempted from the FA1 Paper of the CAT Qualification.
With this exemption, students will be able to complete the CAT Qualification within a year, allowing them to claim three paper exemptions from the ACCA Qualification.
This means that students can complete both the CAT and ACCA qualifications within three years.
It is this accelerated pathway that appealed to Loh Jia Ying, who successfully completed both his CAT and ACCA examination papers in two and a half years at the age of 20.
He is currently working in corporate finance at KAF Investment Bank Bhd.
Immediately after sitting for SPM, Loh pursued the CAT Qualification where he scored the highest marks in Malaysia for three papers.
He then progressed to studying for the ACCA Qualification. where he again scored top marks in Malaysia for four papers.
Loh’s continued efforts saw him achieving his personal best in the December 2013 exam session, where he scored the highest marks in the world for his ACCA paper P4 (Advanced Financial Management) and claimed the ACCA World Prize Winner Award.
On top of that, he also achieved the ACCA Top Affiliate for Malaysia award, which recognises students who score the highest cumulative marks based on five professional level papers successfully completed in a single sitting.
Showing much maturity for his age, Loh shared how ACCA’s global network heavily factored into his choice:
“Global recognition is very important because contemporary professionals value greater flexibility and mobility in their career.
“Personally, I’m open to working abroad at some stage of my career, so a globally recognised qualification such as ACCA definitely helps,” he said.
Loh also advised students to do their research before committing to any course or career.
“If your reason for choosing accounting is simply because you love mathematics, it would be better to think further because accountants today are expected to be more than human calculators.
“I chose accounting because finance is the language of business and I believe that this profession will enable me to have an exciting and global career,” he enthused.
Accountancy continues to be a well-respected profession in Malaysia, one where the demand for professional accountants is unlikely to decline.
“The fact that the local economy continues to be progressive is a strong indication of the promising career prospects aspiring accountants can expect once they become a chartered certified accountant.
“It’s because of this great demand for accountants that ACCA has secured this accelerated pathway for students in Malaysia,” Chin explained.
Students are required to meet the minimum entry requirement of five SPM credits (grade C or above), including English and mathematics, to be eligible to apply for the CAT Qualification.
As our ACCA students and members can attest to, those who graduate with our qualification and attain ACCA membership are guaranteed employability among top corporations in the world. — DAVID CHIN
For more information, log on to yourjourney.accaglobal.com or visit the ACCA booth at the Education and Further Studies Fair in Kuala Lumpur at the Mid Valley Convention Centre on March 7 and 8.