CO U R S E S & C A REERS London Chamber of Commerce & Industry (LCCI) The London Chamber of Commerce & Industry (LCCI) was set up to serve as a collective to influence public opinion and effect reforms. These days, however, LCCI’s mission is to meet the needs of businesses in London and worldwide by providing industries with the skills needed to develop the commercial environment. LCCI’s range of qualifications revolve around finance and quantitative, the English language, marketing and customer service, and business, administration and IT.
Certified Accounting Technician (CAT) The Certified Accounting Technician (CAT) qualification is offered by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA). It is a stand-alone finance and accounting qualification but many often use it as a foundation or introduction to accounting before they pursue the ACCA Professional Scheme to become a Chartered Certified Accountant.
Career Options: Depending on your range of field of study, your options can range from financial accounting, cost accounting, marketing, book-keeping, public relations, business administration or contact centre associates. The choices are vast, given the many options that an industry has to offer. Entry Requirements: As an LCCI qualification is equivalent to a diploma, the entry requirement for an LCCI programme is SPM. Syllabus: Three categories of LCCI diploma qualifications are available: diplomas, group diplomas and specialised diplomas. Diplomas cover a wide range of vocationally related and general subjects, ideal for students who want to develop their knowledge and understanding of varied subjects. Group diplomas allow a greater focus on vocationally related subjects, such as accounting or marketing. Students who have not yet decided on an area of specialisation can choose this option to learn a wide range of knowledge and skills within a main function of business, e.g., a student could combine management , accounting, cost accounting and financial accounting, or public relations, marketing and advertising within the marketing function. Last but not least are the specialised diplomas for students focusing on a specialty within a business function. Specialised diplomas place emphasis on professional accomplishments and progression. There are four categories of specialised diplomas: accounting and finance, managerial accounting, cost accounting and business management and accounting. Duration: Three to 24 months, depending on your choice of diploma qualification. You can expect to take two years to obtain a diploma, three months for group diplomas and six months for a specialised diploma.
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Career Options: CAT graduates will be able to work at a technician level in the commerce and finance industry. Entry Requirements: No previous academic qualification is needed to study for the CAT, so students may begin their course after completing SPM. Syllabus: There are three levels in the programme: Introductory, Intermediate and Advanced with six exams to undertake and two specialist exams. Students will also need to undergo a practical experience and learn a Foundation in Professionalism. Certain previous practical experience entitles for exemption for four out of the six exams. Students can proceed onto the ACCA qualification upon completing the course, by which they will already have one year’s working experience and four essentials needed from the three year’s work experience and 13 performance objectives required for the ACCA. Duration: A year if studied full-time or two years on a part-time basis. Just like the ACCA, you may study in a flexible way and determine how many exams (maximum four papers in a sitting) you would like to take each time around. You may also choose to defer the exams until the next session when you are better prepared.