Charting a Career in Accountancy with Imperium International College

For anyone looking to build a successful career in accountancy, a professional accounting qualification is a must-have.

Jessie Chua, education counsellor at Imperium Centre for Professional Accountancy, Imperium International College (Imperium), believes that the demand for certified chartered accountants in Malaysia is very high.

“At the moment, Malaysia currently has about 33,000 qualified accountants. However, the nation is still far from its target of having 60,000 qualified professional accountants.

“Because of this huge demand, graduates who are professionally qualified do not need to worry about not landing a job,” she says.

One way of obtaining a professional qualification is at Imperium, which is an Approved Learning Partner of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA). ACCA qualifications are globally accepted and highly regarded among employers.

Chua explains that by enrolling in the ACCA programme at Imperium, students will receive the most comprehensive lessons, presented by a team of qualified, dedicated and experienced lecturers.

“The lecturers here have been with us for an average of seven to eight years, almost the same time since we started the programme. Our team of lecturers also have industry experience which allows them to share this knowledge during their teaching,” Chua shares.

She adds that what sets Imperium apart from other learning institutions that offer the ACCA qualification is the IT component. “As the world is moving towards digitalisation and greater use of artificial intelligence (AI) as part of day-to-day operation, we train our students to use applications that are normally used at the workplace. This is how we train them to be ready before entering the workforce.”

Be future-ready

Other than training students with IT skills, Imperium also helps students to develop their communication skills. Anne Rajasaikaran, Chief Executive Officer and President of Imperium, believes that the most important skill a future chartered accountant must possess is good communication.

She says, “This has to do with the whole stigma surrounding accountants not being able to communicate well because they’re so used to working with numbers. I believe it’s our duty as an educator to teach them on how to communicate better. I feel that the majority lack only a few communication skills, especially in the command of the English language. Other than that, perceptual and human relationship skills are also needed to advance in the career. I believe it’s not a big problem, it’s a small thing that we can fix.

“To nurture these skills, Imperium’s School of Accountancy offers an internship at the companies affiliated with MAA Group, which is our parent company. This internship may not be a part of the syllabus, but it serves as an advantage for those who want to gain some exposure. This will give them the platform to practise their communication skills, making it easier for them to transition into the workforce later on.”

Successfully transitioning into the workforce from university can be hard as the accounting and finance sphere continues to evolve. Anne believes that it’s important to teach students to adapt to these changes rather than sticking to conventional ways.

“Change is inevitable. It’s going to happen. The important thing is how we adapt to change. I feel that with the assistance of our head of Imperium Centre for Professional Accountancy David Lam, Jessie Chua, the team and the whole school of accountancy, we can nurture our students to be future-ready.

With an ACCA qualification in a resume, the options are wide when it comes to career opportunities. The ACCA’s global professional qualification opens doors to many careers and is the ticket to international employment. A certified accountant may also choose to expand his skill set to include entrepreneurship and many more.

However, Anne acknowledges that the journey to be a certified chartered accountant is not easy. “It’s not a walk in the park or an easy process. However, professional chartered accountants are very much needed in every organisation.

“Students have to put it in the work to pass the ACCA exam because, in the end, the team at Imperium has only one goal - to bring students to the finish line. My advice for those who want to gain a ACCA qualification is not to take this lightly. Respect the profession and do what it takes to make it,” she says.

Highest recognition given

Being the most experienced in the field comes with great achievement. Imperium is among the few institutions in Malaysia that has been awarded Platinum status by ACCA among its approved learning partners (ALP), the highest recognition awarded to partnering institutions.

This status means that the pass rates of Imperium students in the majority of ACCA programme subjects exceed that of the global average.

Chua explains that this status comes with great responsibility, as institutions with Platinum status are required to meet ACCA’s global best practice benchmarks relating to the institution, course management, course delivery as well as student support. Current as well as prospective students can be assured that no expense is spared when it comes to quality.

For anyone interested to enrol in the accounting programme at Imperium, the minimum entry requirement includes:

Foundation in Accounting

Five (5) credits in SPM including the subject of English and Mathematics

ACCA programme

Passed STPM or A-Level with two (2) principle passes and SPM with five (5) credit including the subjects of English and Mathematics

UEC with a minimum five (5) B’s including English and Mathematics

Bachelor in Accounting or Bachelor in Accounting and Finance

Exemptions will be given depending on their universities’ degree

Financial aid will be given to those who are facing financial constraints. Students can get up to 100% loan on their tuition fee and start the programme completely free. The repayment can start after they completed the ACCA programme.

For more information about the ACCA programme at Imperium International College, visit https://imperium.edu.my/