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The African Girls Chartered Accountants (AWCA) Discussion board celebrates 21 years in 2023, a big milestone for an organisation that continues to help ladies throughout the Chartered Accountancy career.
AWCA has performed a big function in propelling the expansion within the variety of profitable African (Black, Indian, and Colored) feminine CAs(SA) from 407 in 2002 to 9650 as at June 2023. Up to now, 135 college students have been supported by way of the AWCA Bursary Fund. By its partnership with Milpark Training, AWCA expects to develop this quantity over the subsequent few years.
One of many key boundaries to progress amongst aspiring African feminine Chartered Accountants is entry to funding. In 2021, NSFAS confirmed that it was experiencing a funding disaster. This was because of the Covid-19 pandemic disrupting the 2020 tutorial yr. Greater schooling establishments have been pressured to increase the tutorial yr, which in flip required NSFAS to cater to extra prices similar to scholar lodging and different bills.
Two years later, the funding woes nonetheless haven’t subsided — the demand for monetary assist exceeds the accessible assets. Moreover, insufficient infrastructure, restricted assets and socio-economic elements proceed to hinder African females from finishing their research.
In mild of the above-mentioned challenges, AWCA has partnered with Milpark Training, a web based non-public larger schooling establishment that provides the complete on-line path to changing into a CA (from undergrad (BCom) in Accounting to the SAICA accredited PGDA. Milpark Training has awarded bursaries to the whole worth of R400 000 to 5 AWCA members. As it’s a partnership, the burden is carried by each events and AWCA will present a stipend to the bursary recipients to cowl different bills together with textbooks, connectivity, and lodging.
To pursue a profession as a Chartered Accountant, one wants to finish a BCom undergraduate and postgraduate diploma from a SAICA (South African Institute of Chartered Accountants) accredited establishment. After which, a CTA (Certificates within the Principle of Accounting) or equal thereof must be accomplished. Thereafter, one enters a three-year coaching programme with an accredited agency for sensible coaching in varied competencies. This course of is often generally known as “articles”. Lastly, one should write and go the 2 SAICA qualifying exams, ITC (Preliminary Take a look at of Competency) and APC (Evaluation of Skilled Competence).
The trade has advanced, creating extra numerous and thrilling alternatives for African ladies desirous to enter the Chartered Accountancy career. Although rigorous, the Chartered Accountancy journey bears and multiplies fruit for the ladies who select to pursue this path. In response to AWCA President Buhle Hanise, the career has advanced into an area the place many extra alternatives can be found for CAs(SA). “CAs(SA) can now enter the world of personal fairness, non-public banking, funding, entrepreneurship in addition to different industries the place this distinctive ability set is required.” Hanise believes that Chartered Accountants need extra out of their careers as a result of they’re strategic thinkers, and have a novel ability set that can be utilized in varied industries.
A lot because the career has advanced, the schooling panorama has sadly not progressed according to the developments of the career and socio-economic panorama. There was an increase in on-line and distance studying, which refers to using digital platforms and applied sciences to ship instructional programmes and programs remotely. This development has been accelerated by developments in know-how, elevated web accessibility, and the Covid-19 pandemic, which pressured many instructional establishments to shift to on-line studying. This shift highlighted the significance of digital infrastructure, know-how, and digital literacy in schooling.
“The partnership with Milpark Training will contribute to the transformation of the career and considerably advance the variety of African feminine CAs(SA). Changing into a CA is a gigantic endeavor, one which takes time, grit, tenacity, and dedication. The lecturers and help workers at Milpark Training perceive this and have created a stable basis that may present extra ladies with instructional and profession progress alternatives,” says Hanise.
The Milpark Training programmes are all absolutely on-line, accommodating working college students — a lot of whom are single moms — and supply the help that they should full their diploma. As a web based schooling supplier, Milpark Training ensures that wherever a scholar resides they’ve entry to world-class accredited levels. They’re at the moment the biggest producer within the nation of scholars writing qualifying exams.
Milpark Training spokesperson and Head of the Faculty of Skilled Accounting Gareth Olivier, says: “We offer help to our college students as a result of we would like them to achieve success. Our programme realistically matches in with the busy lives of our college students. Changing into a CA is monstrous and can’t be underestimated. The varsity is run by CAs(SA), and the lecturers too are CAs(SA), in order that they perceive the calls for. Our aim is to vary the schooling panorama in South Africa, and in so doing produce college students who’re each employable and entrepreneurial. Our on-line providing makes the dream of changing into a CA(SA) extra attainable.”
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