About the Organisation
The Chartered Institute
of Public Finance and Accountancy - or CIPFA
for short - is an accountancy body that provides
professional accountancy qualifications and trains
students to become Chartered Public Finance Accountants.
The syllabus covers accounting theory, business
strategy, audit and financial reporting, with strong
emphasis on management applicable to both the public
and private sectors.
Graduate
Opportunities
Trainee accountant positions are available throughout
the UK and are advertised on the CIPFA website
(www.cipfa.org.uk/choices), or check your local
press.
CIPFA trainees are usually appointed to a specific
accounting or auditing post but work in several
departments on various assignments. Project work
may also be undertaken during this time. Upon
qualification, you should be at the point where
you have management responsibility for your department/service.
Starting salaries vary across sector and region
but as a guide, they are usually between £13,000
and £18,000. This will increase as you progress
through the scheme and upon qualification, you
can expect to earn between £22,000 and £28,000.
With a few years' experience, typical salaries
vary between £40,000 and £100,000,
dependent on employer and level of responsibility.
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Training and Development
The CIPFA qualification aims to develop students'
ability to apply cutting-edge financial techniques
to the decision-making process and effectively
communicate financial information. This means
that it is geared towards those interested in
a career in financial management as well as becoming
a technically strong accountant.
The course comprises four levels; Foundation,
followed by three Professional levels. Foundation
covers the basics of accounting (graduates of
Accountancy and Finance are usually exempt from
this stage), while the Professional levels cover
management accounting, financial management and
business strategy. The content of each level of
the course is designed to match your activities
at work, so that you are able to apply what you
learn to your job and get the hands-on experience
you need to qualify.
All students have access to a help-line and past
exam papers and examiners reports are always available
on the CIPFA website. Many employers also assign
mentors to ensure you are on track with your studies.
Once you have qualified, CIPFA runs a Continuous
Professional Development scheme to help ensure
that your skills and knowledge are kept up-to-date
throughout your working life.
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Application
and Selection
Students from any discipline can register for
the CIPFA qualification. Those with relevant degrees
(in Accountancy and Finance or Business, for example)
are usually exempt from the Foundation level and
in some cases, from some papers at Professional
1. Those with non-relevant degrees start from
Foundation level.
Students can register throughout the year, although
some key dates apply in terms of registering in
time for exams. For more information or to request
our standard registration form, please call 020
7407 9010 or register online at www.cipfa.org.uk/choices
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