ACCA research reveals top routes for starting a career

Research commissioned by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) has revealed the top ways for young people to start their career.

43 per cent of respondents believe university is the best option, followed by apprenticeships at 26 per cent, and professional qualifications at 15 per cent. 

Confidence

The research surveyed 2,008 respondents, exploring their views on career paths and skill sets. Confidence was found to be the required skill to be successful - cited by 47 per cent of respondents. This was followed by intelligence and organisational skills (both cited by 36 per cent), problem solving (34 per cent), financial knowledge (23 per cent) and being a natural leader (22 per cent). 

Eighteen per cent believe possessing good negotiation skills is the most important skill for success, followed by marketing and maths skills (both cited by 17 per cent), and digital experience (16 per cent).

However, being happy in their job was found to be the main priority for young people, with 58 per cent saying enjoyment is their main motivation when it comes to making a career choice.

Importance

Commenting on the study, ACCA Director of Professional Education Reza Ali said: “ACCA believes in diverse opportunities and this research highlights the importance in students finding their most suitable path. Traditional routes of success, such as going to university are still popular, but this doesn’t mean one should rule out other options such as apprenticeships or professional qualifications.”