A new one-year full-time academic programme followed by a three-month training contract aimed at providing Midlands accountancy students with an alternative to the CAO system has been launched. 

The accountancy traineeship course - the first of its kind in Ireland - is a joint venture between Longford and Westmeath Education and Training Board (LWETB), Cenit College and the Institute of Certified Public Accountants in Ireland (CPA Ireland).

On completion, students can progress to further accounting studies with CPA Ireland on a part-time basis, supplemented by three years supervised, practical training in a work environment in order to become a fully qualified accountant.

The course is aimed particularly at students who, perhaps due to financial or logistical reasons, are unable to attend higher education to complete a primary business or accounting qualification.

The programme will initially launch in Athlone, with tuition  delivered by Cenit college lecturers in the LWETB training centre.  Subsequently, the programme will be rolled out on a nationwide scale.

"This is not just another bookkeeping or business course, but a programme which provides suitable candidates with the first step towards becoming a fully qualified professional accountant," said Dr. Christy Duffy, Chief Executive of Longford and Westmeath Education and Training Board.

"Many students are now acutely aware of the financial burden which attending a college course can place on both themselves and their families. We are seeking to address that need by providing committed and ambitious students with an opportunity to embark on a path to becoming a fully qualified professional accountant through the programme.” 

Source: www.businessworld.ie