Task 1

A)

Job 1: Accountant 

Information from: https://www.allbusinessschools.com/accounting/job-description/

In Cambridge and surrounding areas that I would be able to travel to, there is loads of companies and business that are employing trained accountants. The main role of an accountant is to prepare and examine financial records, they need to make sure that records are accurate and that taxes are paid properly and on time to make sure that the business is running efficiently. An accountant also does other financial work such as examining and analysing accounting records, financial statements and loads other financial reports where he has to assess the accuracy and completeness. The job role is full of paper work and also full of computer work, there isn't any software or programming skills needed to learn for this job as majority of the time the programs you would use would be excel, spreadsheet etc.

Job 2: Marketing Executive

Information from: https://targetjobs.co.uk/careers-advice/job-descriptions/276073-marketing-executive-job-description

In Cambridge and surrounding areas that I would be able to travel to, there is loads of companies and business that are looking for marketing executives. The main role and job of a marketing executive is to develop a marketing campaign to promote a service, product, event or campaign. The focus on developing these marketing campaigns can be to sell a product, a service or even raising awareness of an issue that affect the public 

Job 3: Business Advisor

Information from: https://www.betterteam.com/business-advisor-job-description

In Cambridge and surrounding areas that I would be able to travel to, there is loads of companies and business that are looking for business advisors or also known as Business Consultants. The main role of a Business Advisor is they are responsible for planning and executing business strategies to 'improve effineciey in the operational and financial management of business. They are also responsible in preparing the budget for the company, advise on project and marketing and also have to perform risk analysis

B)

To become a standard trained and qualified accountant you need to get the right qualifications first, there is a lot of options but you can select which one you want to do and which one suits you the most.

All information from: https://www.prospects.ac.uk/jobs-and-work-experience/job-sectors/accountancy-banking-and-finance/how-to-become-an-accountant

AAT (Association of Accounting Technicians) course 

This course is made up of three qualification across three levels, they combine 'industry knowledge and practical work skills', this is the most popular course people go with as you get to do practical work whilst learning too, this is also the course most companies put you on when you do an apprenticeship. The course usually takes about 6-8 months to complete, but to become a fully qualified accountant you need to finish level 4 which in total will take about 9-18 months.After that you would be a trained and qualified accountant and can 'apply to become an AAT full member to get the MAAT status which gives you an internationally recognised status in accounting and finance.' It demonstrates high standards of education and experience to employers and clients. Even without becoming an AAT Full member you are still a fully qualified and trained accountant and can.

ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants)

This course is made up of two levels: Fundamental and professional. The modules cover a variety of topics from corporate and business law to audit and assurance. Overall worldwide ACCA is a leading international accountancy body. It is the largest and fastest growing qualification in the world.

The main benefits of choosing ACCA over any other course would be that it enables you to become a  Chartered Certified Accountant and work in any aspect of finance or management in any business, it also gives you a better employment prospect as a result of having shown an ability in all areas of business.

ICAEW (Instittue of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales) Chartered accountant status.

This qualification is also referred to as the ACA, it consists of '3-5 years of practical work experience and the completion of 13 modules.' There is no benefits of choosing this course of the ACCA, this qualification has a more 'strict, stringent and rigorous passing and ultimately the membership criteria compared to ACCA'. It is also one of if not the most advanced learning and professional development programmes available.

CIMA (Chartered Institute of Management Accountants) business finance award.

This is also widely-recognised overseas as the CGMA (Chartered Global Management Accountant), this requires you to have already gained postgraduate-level Certificate in Business Accounting. The aim for the CIMA qualification is to bring together management accounting, financial accounting and business. This will mean you will already have the practical skills employers are looking for. To get the qualification it will take an average of 12 professional qualification exams in 4 years.

There is loads of types of accounts and each differ from each other.

All information from: https://www.rasmussen.edu/degrees/business/blog/types-of-accountants-who-do-more-than-taxes/

CPA (Certified Public Accountant)

The main type of accountant that people become is a Certified Public Account, which is an upper-level account that has passed the examination and has met the education and experience requirements, they are also recognised as experts in an organisations accounting records. You also need to earn a bachelor's degree from and credited accounting program and obtain certification by passing the Uniform CPA Examination

A CPA's job role is helping their clients and making sure they reach their financial goal, while also assisting in other matter, this includes audits, reviews, consulting and lots more. A CPA also does forensic accounting which includes making sure that all the financial records and compliant with standards and the law. 

There are different types too such as: forensic accountant, auditor, management accountant and few more. Each one is different in its own way, it might be in the type of work you will do or the qualifications and experience you need.

C)

As I want to become an accountant, there is a few routes that I could take to get the qualifications. 

The most popular route would be to go to university and do a degree in something related to accountancy, this could be: Accountancy and finance or Economics and finance. After completing the course at university I would then have 2 options, either do a masters which would take a couple years or apply to join a firm and do an accountancy course with them which takes up to 2 years.

Another route that I could take which doesn't require university degree would be to apply to join a firm and do an apprenticeship course at their place straight after college.

One university that has caught my eye is London South bank. I have read a lot of reviews about their course on accountancy and finance and have seen that a lot of people are really pleased with how they teach and the level of teaching too. https://www.lsbu.ac.uk/study/course-finder/accounting-and-finance-certhe

When it comes to apprenticeships, the place that caught my eye in how they work and their support for their apprentice workers would have to be Price Bailey. This is the only place that I have looked at applying and trying to go to possibly after university. https://www.pricebailey.co.uk/careers-2/school-leavers/apprenticeship-programme/