Wise Words Of The Sage Led Me To Bookkeeping Courses.
A wise old sage once told me to get up off my backside and get a job as a bookkeeper but being a typical work shy teenager, I ignored him and looked at degrees in media or marketing or something that would lead to what I perceived to be a more glamorous career.
Looking back, now I am indeed a wage slave of some years' experience, I agree with the sage and wish I had embarked upon bookkeeping courses earlier in my career as I feel I wasted some time before getting my hands on my employer's money (in the nicest possible way).
Having been turned down by a number of schools in my quest for glamorous study programmes, I got a job with an accountancy firm and they paid for me to take some basic bookkeeping courses.
These training courses used to take place in the evening at a local college and I attended my classes reluctantly as they interfered with my all important computer games.
Of course, some years later I met a girl and settled down and my career came into focus, as is the case with so many people in their early 20's and not being a particularly imaginative person, I decided to stick with accounting but this time I wanted to qualify quickly.
I also knew I could no longer face the plodding style of training at my local higher education college. I talked to my boss at work and explained that I wanted to qualify for ACCA or CIMA but he said I just wouldn't make the grade. Brutal but true.
He suggested instead that I aim to become an Accounting Technician so I cast around for relevant courses and eventually came upon the Accounting Technician Diploma at Pitman Training in London's High Holborn.
The diploma seemed to be a range of 12 book-keeping courses with a nationally recognised qualification at the end of it. The programme covered basic bookkeeping, sales and purchase ledger, two levels of final accounts, a Sage Line 50 course, manual and Sage payroll, two levels of Excel and a couple of other courses.
I chose the course because of the subjects but also because there was no timetable so I could attend when I wanted, so it was very convenient. They offered a payment plan so I could afford it too.
I decided to study as fast as I could to qualify quickly as I didn't want to study for the rest of my life! It didn't take me too long before I was studying Sage Line 50 and also doing payroll so for the first time in my life I could understand my payslip when I got my wages.
Although I would have like to have become an accountant, I think my boss was right in encouraging me to aim for book-keeping as I don't really have the dedication to do CIMA or ACCA.
Anyway, whether or not he was right, I left that job and got a much better paid job as assistant bookkeeper with one of their rivals, so I guess I got my revenge in a strange kind of way.
So looking back, the wise old sage was right and bookkeeping courses were the route to a solid career.
As for the girl, she left some time ago!
If you would like information about bookkeeping courses, contact Pitman Training:
Notting Hill - 020 7792 5214
Holborn - 020 7025 4700
Manchester - 0161 923 6814
Or contact them by email.
About The Author.
Keith Wymer is Managing Director of Holborn Training Ltd (www.holborntraining.co.uk).
You may also enjoy reading these articles for the aspiring bookkeeper:
Bookkeeping Courses & Self-Promotion Got Me A Job
Alternative To Online Bookkeeping Courses
To Get Bookkeeping Work, Take A Bookkeeping Course
A New Way To Take A Bookkeeping Course
Difference Between A Bookkeeper And An Accountant
Bookkeeping Services 'Will Be Vital For VAT Rise'
My First 3 Weeks As A Newly Qualified Bookkeeper.
