“CIMA’s pursuit of affiliations give
their members an advantage in gaining meaningful employment.”
Dubai, United Arab Emirates, -Sunday 23 September 2018 [ AETOS Wire ]
If
there’s such a thing as being ambitious too early, don’t tell
18-year-old Achuthanunni Rajendran. The first-year Bachelor of Commerce
student passed his Certificate level of the Chartered Institute of
Management Accountants (CIMA) qualification while he was sitting for his
12th grade exams in India – a truly remarkable feat. The
bright teenager from Kerala laboured hard to pass the Certificate Level –
and he says he’s just getting started.
“I want to
carve a name out for myself in the industry I choose to work in,” says
Achu confidently of his future. “Being a highly sought-after
professional is my ultimate aspiration. The industry tie-ups that CIMA
pursues is most relevant to me, and I want to eventually attain the
Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA) designation.”
In fact, it
was his pursuit of the CIMA qualification that helped Achu land a spot
in Warwick University, although he ultimately turned down the offer to
study at the Rajagiri College of Social Sciences.
Achu was
first exposed to the CIMA qualification through his peer group at
school, the GEMS Our Own Indian School in Dubai. Being a bunch of high
achievers, they were researching intensely about various qualifications
and certifications that will help them with their future career. He was
certain that his future career lay in finance, so he wanted something
that also incorporated management elements because he thought that gave
him an advantage over a financial accounting qualification alone.
After
spending some time comparing the appeal of different certifications,
there was only one choice that made sense to him – the CIMA
qualification.
“For someone
looking for a career in finance, CIMA seemed the obvious choice. It was
more management-oriented and I always felt like CIMA does its best to
connect the needs of the students and meet them in the middle,” says
Achu. “While I’m not currently employed, the CIMA certificate in
business accounting has helped me already in various avenues.”
The
preparation for exam was not easy even for someone as driven as Achu. He
was sitting for his CIMA exam at almost the same time as his 12th
grade exams – which is crucial for students in India as it determines
the direction of their tertiary education. He credits his lecturers from
tuition provider Ultimate Access Education for helping him find an
efficient way to achieve his twin goals. He also admitted it was not
easy juggling both commitments simultaneously.
“Simply
finding the time to complete the portions was my biggest challenge,” he
recalls. How did he strategise his studying time without clashing with
his 12th grade
examinations? “I marked the important points next to the study text and
made notes in my own words,” says Achu. “Attempting the question paper
at the end of the textbook helped me find my weak areas and the parts
that I wasn’t clear. Doing that boosted my confidence before the exams.”
“I love the
textbook because it was well-presented and the language was easy to
understand,” he adds. “The multiple-choice questions also made you think
– it really challenges you. There is also a lot of higher order
thinking going on – I felt like those questions actually challenged me. I
actually like that and put more effort into that because the questions
were hard.”
Achu
describes the questions as “hard”. What does he mean by that? “When you
first look at them, all the options would look the same!” he laughs.
“But then you have to find out the minute differences between each of
them and you have to connect different topics. Only then, you answer the
questions. That’s how hard it was,” he explains.
What’s next
for Achu? Firstly, his next target is to pass the Operational Level of
the CIMA qualification while completing his degree. He aims to finish
that Level by the time he finishes his third year. Wouldn’t it be more
difficult to do since he would have to do a dissertation in his third
year?
Achu says the
CIMA material is in line with what he is studying in his degree and
that shouldn’t present a problem. He also believes that it’s a question
of mind over matter and advises others in his age group to think the
same – especially if they’re from the generation which grew up with a
smartphone in their hands.
“I feel like I waste a lot of time when I don’t have any commitments (besides studying). That’s why I took CIMA in my 12th grade itself. The more time I have, I actually use it for Instagram,” Achu says sheepishly.
“But what I
did is not something a lot of people will do. It challenges myself and I
believe it makes me a better person when I have more commitments – I
become more productive. I will just have to manage,” he laughs.
In a couple
of years as Achu prepares to take his first step into the working world,
he is conscious that the CIMA qualification will be an asset to his
resume and his choice of career, because of the quality that comes with
the CIMA brand. He also thinks that the qualification is for everyone
regardless of where they are at in their career, even if you are still a
student.
“The CIMA
qualification is something that I value very highly,” says Achu. “I
would advise people who are still studying to do their qualification
now.” He plans to complete the rest of the CIMA levels, such as the
Management and Strategic levels, as he climbs up his future corporate
ladder.
To him,
juggling work and his qualifications will just be a continuation of what
he has been doing as a student. Making time is something that he
certainly believes in. “You need to find the time that you need to meet
your commitment,” he says. “I believe that the CIMA qualification will
continue to add value to my growth as a professional once I begin my
working career.”
“I want to do more outside of my obligations at work, for my own professional development,” he concludes confidently.
About The Association
The
Association of International Certified Professional Accountants (the
Association) is the most influential body of professional accountants,
combining the strengths of the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) and
The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) to power
opportunity, trust and prosperity for people, businesses and economies
worldwide. It represents 667,000 members and students in public and
management accounting and advocates for the public interest and business
sustainability on current and emerging issues. With broad reach, rigor
and resources, the Association advances the reputation, employability
and quality of CPAs, CGMAs and accounting and finance professionals
globally.
About CIMA
The Chartered
Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA), founded in 1919, is the
world’s leading and largest professional body of management accountants,
with members and students operating in 177 countries, working at the
heart of business. CIMA members and students work in industry, commerce,
and the public sector and not-for-profit organisations. CIMA works
closely with employers and sponsors leading-edge research, constantly
updating its qualification, professional experience requirements and
continuing professional development to ensure it remains the employers’
choice when recruiting financially-trained business leaders.
About CGMA
CGMA
is the most widely held management accounting designation in the world.
It distinguishes more than 150,000 accounting and finance professionals
who have advanced proficiency in finance, operations, strategy and
management. In the U.S., the vast majority are also CPAs. The CGMA
designation is underpinned by extensive global research to maintain the
highest relevance with employers and develop competencies most in
demand. CGMAs qualify through rigorous education, exam and experience
requirements. They must commit to lifelong education and adhere to a
stringent code of ethical conduct. Businesses, governments and
nonprofits around the world trust CGMAs to guide critical decisions that
drive strong performance.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Issued by The Association of International Certified Professional Accountants (the Association)
Contacts
Adenike Olayande (Specialist – Business Development, Dubai), +97143689432
Diyana Kamar (PR Manager – Asia Pacific), +60122204627
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