www.iva.co.uk

I am looking into changing careers and I was wondering what restrictions my IVA will cause. I was hoping to retrain as a Bookeeper/ Accountant would my IVA prevent this and would it be a permanent bar.

Thank you

I am sure that your IVA would not affect you taking on a training course, or switching careers Louise - but would you be able to earn a similar income in the new field as you are currently earning?

Thank you for your reply, I don't anticipate actually changing career until my IVA is completed, but I could complete the training and take on part time work to ease myself into it, also the extra income would come in useful. I can do the training for very little financial outlay, but didn't want to go down this route if a career would be barred by my IVA.

Hello Louiseh,

Not sure if this is of any help as i have no idea where you are or how soon you would like to think of your career change, but the firm i work for in Bristol (management accountants) are always looking to hire, we are quite a big firm these days so there are always vacancies.

If you are in that area and do want to move into accountancy, i can find out if there are any vacancies as an assistant accountant and pass you the contact details for the HR team

Didn't realise you were in Bristol Tifosi - another candidate for our Frugal Friends meeting in Novemember - and Andrew Graveson will be there as well! In the flesh!

Hi Louise, I have recently enquired about an AAT in Accounting and to be a student you have to enrol as a student member of the AAT. There is a clause in their terms and conditions that says:
"An applicant for student registration who is an undischarged or discharged bankrupt, or who has at any time made any composition or formal arrangement with his creditors, will usually be permitted to register as a Student of the Association unless there is (in the opinion of the Chairman of the Regulation and Compliance Board/Director of Education and Training), good reason not to.

However, if he subsequently applies for full membership, his case will be considered on an individual basis in accordance with the Association?s policy on Applicants for Membership.

Affiliates and Students
Where an Affiliate or Student becomes bankrupt or has made any composition or entered into any formal arrangement with his creditors, he will be subject to a disciplinary investigation (in accordance with the AAT?s Disciplinary Regulations).

He should be advised that if he subsequently applies for Membership, his case will be considered on an individual basis in accordance with the Association?s policy on applicants for Membership.

I am gutted about this, as I really wanted to go for it, but as I am about to embark on my IVA (if it's accepted on Friday) the last thing I want is to end up in some kind of disciplinary hearing.

If you wanted to retrain for a lesser qualification in book keeping, one of the Sage courses would probably be good.

Hope this helps. Good luck with your career, Kazzy x

Melanie, i actually live on the other side of the bridge, but travel over every day.

louiseh - bare in mind you would proably be able to find a job as an assistant in most accountancy practices without being a member of any accountancy body (AAT/ACCA/CIMA) and could progress as you see fit or be comfortable with the longer you work. Of course most employers would encourage you to join an exam body for your studying which you would need to do at some point - but even if you had an IVA its not to say you wouldnt be accepted by AAT - they would just review your case before accepting you.

Hope this helps

Hi Tifosi1. If a company you worked for paid an exam body for the course and your case was reviewed when you applied, do you think your company would find out about your IVA? What would happen if they refused you on whatever grounds, would they have to let your company why you were refused? Kazzy

Thankyou for all your replies, I was thinking of taking the OU course, certificate in accounting and seeing what happened from there. I did think that there would be some restrictions but wasn't sure what. The course starts september 2009 so I have a little time to decide if it's right for me.

Kazzy - unfortunately my employers dont pay for the annual subscriptions i have to pay myself.

I am not sure what they would be allowed to say if the application was rejected due to data protection.

I guess the best thing would be to call the exam body before you applied to see what their stance is on it all and you can sound it out before applying. My company is a recognised training centre for ACCA and CIMA and i know that they get some special privileges, so some places may be able to persuade the exam body to take you on!