Donegal ETB will host a walk-in information session on the Accounting Technician course this Thursday, 14 June in Letterkenny. Ahead of this event, we hear from Graduates of Donegal Education and Training Board’s Accounting Technicians Ireland (ATI) course as they reveal how the training has led them to success in their dream career.
Donegal ETB’s Letterkenny Training Centre is one of 70 colleges in Ireland offering ATI’s flexible courses, which allow learners to obtain the Diploma for Accounting Technicians in just two years. Dozens of Donegal graduates have completed the qualification through the ETB’s full-time, funded training programme, with many stating that it was their best career decision.
Accounting Technicians are qualified accounting professionals that work at all levels of finance throughout the private and public sector, industry and commerce and in accountancy practices. ATI’s courses are open to school and college leavers, mature students and those who have been working in industry or small practice firms for years, but have no formal training.
Una Lynch
Una Lynch from Muff graduated in 2013 and now works as the accounts manager in McGrory’s Hotel, Culdaff after taking the ATI course, “Qualifying as an accounting technician was most definitely the starting point of my whole career and I have never looked back. It gave me the confidence and knowledge that I needed to further my career. The Accounting Technicians Ireland qualification gives a very strong foundation in accounting – one that prepares you for all areas of business.”
Eamonn Kelly
Former learner Eamonn Kelly swapped farming for a career as a trainee chartered accountant with Sonas 365. He said, “I started the ATI programme when I reached the point where I was struggling to find work. It really kick-started my career. The tutors help you in every way they can and it’s such a great testing ground for any future job.” After finishing his studies at Donegal ETB in 2015, Eamonn was exempted into Year 2 of the three-year honours degree in accounting at LYIT, which he graduated from a couple of years ago.
Aoife Temple
Aoife Temple from Glenfin is now a Senior Investment Operations Associate with the Fixed Income Department at Pramerica Systems Ireland following her return to study seven years ago after the birth of her baby. “Overall my experience of the course was enjoyable and increased my knowledge within accountancy and helped me gain the right skills and qualifications which have helped me gain employment. The course helped me gain confidence in my own abilities and the knowledge I gained helps me complete my everyday roles within my current employment.”
Rory Rushe, ATI Course Co-ordinator with Donegal ETB, said, “It is great to see our learners’ hard work being rewarded with good jobs in accounting. Learners who come on this course are deeply committed to the programme and their careers – and this is evidenced by the success stories above as well as last year’s learners, who achieved a 100% success rate in their exams.”
Last year’s course graduates celebrated fantastic exam results, achieving a 100% pass rate in their four Year 2 exams. Their results were even more striking when compared to the national pass rates in the four subject areas: Advanced Financial Accounting (national pass rate 69%), Advanced Taxation (national pass rate 68%), Management Accounting (national pass rate 87%), Integrated Accounting Systems (national pass rate 84%). In particular, the learners exceeded the national average by over 30% in Advanced Financial Accounting and Advanced Taxation, with seven of the nine learners obtaining an overall Distinction.
In 2017, learner Noel Boyle, who previously worked in kitchen manufacturing, ranked inside the top 1% in the country by coming 7th out of 804 learners nationally who sat the exams. Two of Noel’s classmates also achieved maximum marks; Aine McNeilis achieved 100% in Management Accounting and ranked 25th out of 804 nationally and Declan Callaghan achieved 100% in Integrated Accounting Systems (IAS) and ranked 49th out of 804 nationally.
The Diploma for Accounting Technicians is a highly sought-after qualification and the graduates are part of a “Community of Practice” who get life-long support and training opportunities as Members of ATI. Many Accounting Technicians go on to further study, with other professional accountancy bodies or to degree level.
“This is a pan-sectoral qualification which meets the needs of industry, practice and the public sector, and graduates enjoy exemptions from the full range of professional accountancy bodies including Chartered Accountants Ireland, ACCA, CPA, CIMA, IIPA as well as Higher Education third level accounting programmes,” said Gillian Doherty, ATI’s Chief Operations Officer.
For success stories of past Donegal ETB Accounting Technician learners check out http://www.donegaletb.ie/accounting/
Donegal ETB will host a walk-in information session on the Accounting Technician course this Thursday, 14 June at 11.00am in the Donegal ETB Training Centre, Ballyraine, Letterkenny. Call 074 9120500 for further information.
You can also apply online through this link: https://www.fetchcourses.ie/course/finder?sfcw-courseId=207170
This Specific Skills Training is co-funded by the Irish government and the European Social Fund as part of the ESF Programme for Employability, Inclusion and Learning (PEIL) 2014-2020.
