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Which occupation to select for skills assessment?


SDTCPT

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Hi guys,

I would like some advice. I am not sure which occupation to select when I apply for my skills assessment (that's if the IELTS goes according to plan :)) Accountant (General) or Management Accountant.

I have a B Tech degree in Cost and Management accounting (2001 - 2004) and I have just completed the CIMA Certificate in Business Accounting. I have done a 4 year SAICA articles (2006 - 2009) but decided I don't really want to become a CA ( Shock horror, shock horror, I know... :)), that is why I switched to CIMA. Since completing my articles I have been working as an accountant in a small SAIPA accounting practice (2010) and then as an accountant in a tourism company ( end of 2010 to date). Also I am registered as a practicing member of SAIBA.

Do I select Accountant because that is my work experience or do I select Management Accountant because that is where my qualifications are?

Any help/suggestions/opinions would be much appreciated.

Thanks

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Hi SDTCPT,

I am also a non-CA accountant ( SAICA articles and now SAIPA practicing member ) with diverse experience including management accounting - major subject as part of my Unisa qualifications, and Migrate2Oz used the General Accountant as my occupation on the ICAA form. I would perhaps still do some investigation as to which be best for your particular situation, as one thing I am learning in this application process - don't take a cookie-cutter, one size fits all approach to it!

I can also relate to not wanting to become a CA :D ( SO glad I am not alone in that shocking revelation ) ;)

All the best - hope it's a great outcome on your IELTS

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Hi EmNew,

Thanks for the reply. If you don't mind me asking what did you do at UNISA? While we are on the subject, how did you get the info on the syllabus out of them? I was at the Cape Town campus on Wednesday to get the info for the subjects I did through them, but I think they were already in the holiday spirit because the info I got was not that great and then when I wanted to ask for more info the lady just disappeared on me... Left there after waiting a while as I needed to get into the city to write my last CIMA Certificate exam...

Before all the CA's start having a fit because they think I am badmouthing the CA and Auditing professions, I just want to say... I liked the 4 years I did my articles (the work, not the cr#$%y pay, but who does :)), but I just like the pure accounting side more and I did not really want to open my own practice, (I joined SAIBA, and with the designation BAP (SA) I could open one if I wanted to... go figure :D)

That's why I decided to skip over to CIMA :)

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Hi SDTCPT,

I did the B Compt and B Compt Hons ( 1992-1996) . I initially had every intention of becoming a CA, but then I also found that I enjoyed the hands on financial accounting and management work, and felt that I could make a good career for myself without going for the Board etc. I also enjoyed the work experience and exposure of my Articles, and that actually inspired me to leave the corporate world in 2002 and open my own practice , serving Close Corporations and small businesses as a SAIPA Professional Accountant (SA). I loved the variety of business types I was exposed to during my SAICA contract, and got bored going into the same company day in day out post Articles :sleep1:

Getting the syllabuses out of UNISA is like getting blood out of a stone....I feel for you.

I would by-pass your faculty altogether and deal with the far more helpful and communicative staff in the archives department. I was referred to Peter Ncediswa by another ICAA assessment person on this forum - peterna@unisa.ac.za, but he unfortunately was too busy to assist. I then got hold of another archives staff member, a lady called Lufuno Kgamedi - kgamel@unisa.ac.za, and she was extremely helpful and more importantly, delivered what I needed 2 days after our initial contact. I phoned her first and then emailed to confirm our discussion. Their number is 012 429 2560 - perhaps worth phoning in case these specific people are not there anymore.

Hope you get what you need from them!

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Hello SDTCPT,

The migration options for both Account (General) and Management Accountant are the same. The decision on which occupation to choose should then come down to how well the subjects you completed in your studies map to the skills assessment requirements of the different occupations.

Here is a link to the occupation/subject mapping expected (Scroll down to the matrix).

Feel free to contact me if anything is unclear.

Regards

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  • 5 weeks later...

Hi guys,

I just wanted to say thank you to all that have given their help and of their experience. It was great to find this forum...

Having said that I have just received some of the worst news I have had in a long time. CPUT in their infinite @%@%^$# wisdom can't help me with the syllabi that I need in order to get my skills assessment done with ICAA. They only keep their records for 10 years and don't have anything for the period of 2001-2003 when I did my National Diploma.

I think this has just #$#$#$ my chances... The only option I have now is to contact ICAA and see if their is anything else that I can do or give them in order to get a skills assessment done. The honest truth is that I don't hold out much hope.

Here's to hoping that the rest of you that are still on the road to your VISA's get all the information that you need.

(Sorry about the rant...)

Best wishes and good luck

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Hi SDTCPT,

I am appalled ( but not surprised ) that they cannot assist...... My husband is also an alumni, and wanted to get that letter stating he completed his studies in English to avoid writing the IELTS as a dependant on my application. He contacted them in August 2014....we are still waiting............( he used his High School instead )

I would not lose hope though. ICAA have a lot of precedents on file from previous applications. It might also be worth posting a new topic to find out if anyone else did your course and what they managed to gather - I had invaluable help from forumites via contacts they gave in getting my information out of UNISA

Another option you may consider is approaching one of the agents to assist you just with the skills assessment part - I am sure most could give a quote just to assist in this matter?

The guys we are using, Migrate2Oz, keep copies of all applicant's data for the skills assessment. I had some gaps in what I could get out of UNISA, and they had on file copies of year book syllabuses that I was missing.

Best of luck to you and again, don't lose hope!

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Hi Em,

Congrats on the invite and the lodgement of your application :D

I might have been just a bit hasty in my opinion of them (but damn that was a big blow on a Tuesday afternoon) as just after I posted this (about 10 min after I got the initial email from the HOD) I received another email from CPUT with a letter from the HOD confirming that I was a student there, what the courses were that I studied and that the syllabi for the ND did not change but that some of the of the subject names and codes changed with a list of these.

So I emailed ICAA's Migration Assessment department explaining the situation and now I await their reply. Depending on their response I might just have to approach Stephen to see what he thinks can be done to rescue the situation.

Like you said all hope is not lost yet and this surprise letter from CPUT has cracked open the blast doors that came down on my prospects for a visa :D

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What an awesome turnaround!! Hoping that the ICAA give you the go-ahead to submit what was just forwarded to you.

Soon it will be I congratulating you on an invite and lodgement :D

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