Careers and jobs in finance, banking and accountancy are available in small and medium organisations, not just the big banks.

The range of jobs in the finance sector is huge – some will require university qualifications, others will not. There are both academic and vocational routes into careers in this field of work and you could choose to study for a vocational qualification at school or college, A-levels or to take the apprenticeship route.

Jobs in the finance, banking and accountancy sector

Types of jobs in this sector include accountants, treasurers, bankers, actuaries, financial advisers and analysts, financial traders, tax inspectors and stockbrokers. You could work for a private firm, in the public sector or be self-employed.

Career pathways and qualifications for school leavers interested in jobs in the finance, banking and accountancy are varied. You could choose the academic route or a vocational / work based route and the skills and qualifications that you will need to be successful will vary according to the job role that you want to pursue. Discover the routes into this career and be inspired by one of the case studies posted on not going to uni’s website. Specific job roles can include financial reporting, auditing, supporting financial decision making and advising on tax compliance to name but a few.

Professional accountancy qualifications

The professional accountancy qualifications needed for particular job roles, such as AAT, ACCA, CIPFA differ and ultimately what you need to study for will be decided by your employer. We have a great article on these qualifications that you can read here.

Professional accountancy qualifications can be gained by studying for an accredited degree, which is a degree course which is recognised by the professional body or some can be studied for as part of an apprenticeship, such as the AAT qualification.