Starting courses

[tinmonkey]

Hi,
I'm looking for some advice and was hoping you lovely people could be of some assistance. I'm currently in a dead end job and only do 4 hours a week, which tend to be of a weekend. As a result, I'm on a low income, and cant afford to pay for courses up front :-( Anyway, I've been looking into accountancy courses (a total career change to anything I've ever done before!) I'm in a very rural area, so am thinking along the lines of online/distance learning. On completion or near to completion, I have 3 options. To start my own business up in childrens clothing, run an accountancy business/ freelance accountant OR go on someones books as self employed accountant and do their books.What I'd like advice on is

1. Recommended distance learning courses.
2. How to best fund these courses.
3. Best ways to start my own business. Many thanks for your help fellow netters

I cannot recommend online courses, but thinking along similar lines, amid the various ideas you have, I would go for the service-based one, as not having stock is a great plus. It minimises your exposure, so to speak.

Good luck.

Hi,
Hope this helps. A few months ago I looked into something similar and came across a qualification with ICB, who specialise in providing professional bookkeeping qualifications, with a view of helping their members into practice. After some research I enrolled on some home study courses with a company called Ideal Schools and, so far, they have been absolutely fantastic. They're very approachable and won't do the hard sell so might be worth getting in touch. Here's a link to their website: www.idealschools.co.uk/

THe accountancy profession is jam packed with people like me who have our CCAB and work part time.
VERY hard to break into.
Build on your existing skills

ICB is not rated by the profession BTW
If anything do AAT - but you need to be in a relevant job.

If you're not entirely set on an accountancy job, what about doing a start your own business course instead? You'll still have to pay but I've seen sites like Groupon do SYOB courses at reduced rates. I live in Ireland and did one (1 evening a week) for free through the social welfare system - perhaps there's something similar in the UK.

Also have a look at futurelearn.com - they have more academic courses but there's one called Managing Your Money running at the moment (and will likely get re-run) which may be useful. FutureLearn is part of the Open University, there are rarely academic or other prerequisites for joining, and the courses are free.

Just seen FutureLearn.com are starting an SYOB type course at the end of this month www.futurelearn.com/courses/starting-a-business